Таємничий острів

           Thesailorundoubtedlyfeltmuchgreateranxietythandoesthefisherman,forhedoesnotseehispreycomingthroughthewater.Thejerksattractedtheattentionofthegallinaceae,andtheyattackedthehookswiththeirbeaks.Threevoraciousgrouseswallowedatthesamemomentbaitandhook.Suddenlywithasmartjerk,Pencroft"struck"hisline,andaflappingofwingsshowedthatthebirdsweretaken.

           "Hurrah!"hecried,rushingtowardsthegame,ofwhichhemadehimselfmasterinaninstant.

           Herbertclappedhishands.Itwasthefirsttimethathehadeverseenbirdstakenwithaline,butthesailormodestlyconfessedthatitwasnothisfirstattempt,andthatbesideshecouldnotclaimthemeritofinvention.

           "Andatanyrate,"addedhe,"situatedasweare,wemusthopetohituponmanyothercontrivances."

           Thegrousewerefastenedbytheirclaws,andPencroft,delightedatnothavingtoappearbeforetheircompanionswithemptyhands,andobservingthatthedayhadbeguntodecline,judgeditbesttoreturntotheirdwelling.

           Thedirectionwasindicatedbytheriver,whosecoursetheyhadonlytofollow,and,towardssixo’clock,tiredenoughwiththeirexcursion,HerbertandPencroftarrivedattheChimneys.