Таємничий острів

           Itwasagreedthatagunshotshouldannouncethecolonists’return,andthatatthesignalNebshouldreturnandreestablishthecommunicationbetweenthetwobanksoftheriver.

           Thelittlebandadvanceddirectlyalongtheroadwhichledtothesoutherncoastoftheisland.Thiswasonlyadistanceofthreemilesandahalf,butGideonSpilettandhiscompanionstooktwohourstotraverseit.Theyexaminedalltheborderoftheroad,thethickforest,aswellasTaborMarsh.Theyfoundnotraceofthefugitiveswho,nodoubt,nothavingyetdiscoveredthenumberofthecolonists,orthemeansofdefensewhichtheyhadattheirdisposal,hadgainedthelessaccessiblepartsoftheisland.

           ArrivedatPortBalloon,Pencroftsawwithextremesatisfactionthatthe"Bonadventure"wastranquillyfloatinginthenarrowcreek.However,PortBalloonwassowellhiddenamonghighrocks,thatitcouldscarcelybediscoveredeitherfromthelandorthesea.

           "Come,"saidPencroft,"theblackguardshavenotbeenthereyet.Longgrasssuitsreptilesbest,andevidentlyweshallfindthemintheFarWest."

           "Andit’sverylucky,foriftheyhadfoundthe‘Bonadventure’,"addedHerbert,"theywouldhavegoneoffinher,andweshouldhavebeenpreventedfromreturningtoTaborIsland."

           "Indeed,"remarkedthereporter,"itwillbeimportanttotakeadocumenttherewhichwillmakeknownthesituationofLincolnIsland,andAyrton’snewresidence,incasetheScotchyachtreturnstofetchhim."

           "Well,the‘Bonadventure’isalwaysthere,Mr.