Таємничий острів

           "Myhanddoesitsonaturally,andone’shandisnevermistaken!"

           "Thencantheconvictshavebeenonboard?"askedHerbert.

           "Iknownothingaboutthat,"answeredPencroft,"butwhatiscertain,isthatsomeonehasweighedthe‘Bonadventure’s’anchoranddroppeditagain!Andlookhere,hereisanotherproof!Thecableoftheanchorhasbeenrunout,anditsserviceisnolongeratthehawse-hole.Irepeatthatsomeonehasbeenusingourvessel!"

           "Butiftheconvictshadusedher,theywouldhavepillagedher,orrathergoneoffwithher."

           "Goneoff!whereto—toTaborIsland?"repliedPencroft."Doyouthink,theywouldriskthemselvesinaboatofsuchsmalltonnage?"

           "Wemust,besides,besurethattheyknowoftheislet,"rejoinedthereporter.

           "Howeverthatmaybe,"saidthesailor,"assureasmynameisBonadventurePencroft,oftheVineyard,our‘Bonadventure’hassailedwithoutus!"

           ThesailorwaspositivethatneitherGideonSpilettnorHerbertcoulddisputehisstatement.Itwasevidentthatthevesselhadbeenmoved,moreorless,sincePencrofthadbroughthertoPortBalloon.Astothesailor,hehadnottheslightestdoubtthattheanchorhadbeenraisedandthendroppedagain.Now,whatwastheuseofthesetwomaneuvers,unlessthevesselhadbeenemployedinsomeexpedition?

           "Buthowwasitwedidnotseethe‘Bonadventure’passinthesightoftheisland?"observedthereporter,whowasanxioustobringforwardeverypossibleobjection.

           "Why,Mr.