Таємничий острів

           Spilett,"repliedthesailor,"theywouldonlyhavetostartinthenightwithagoodbreeze,andtheywouldbeoutofsightoftheislandintwohours."

           "Well,"resumedGideonSpilett,"Iaskagain,whatobjectcouldtheconvictshavehadinusingthe‘Bonadventure,’andwhy,aftertheyhadmadeuseofher,shouldtheyhavebroughtherbacktoport?"

           "Why,Mr.Spilett,"repliedthesailor,"wemustputthatamongtheunaccountablethings,andnotthinkanythingmoreaboutit.Thechiefthingisthatthe‘Bonadventure’wasthere,andsheistherenow.Only,unfortunately,iftheconvictstakeherasecondtime,weshallverylikelynotfindheragaininherplace!"

           "Then,Pencroft,"saidHerbert,"woulditnotbewisesttobringthe‘Bonadventure’offtoGraniteHouse?"

           "Yesandno,"answeredPencroft,"orratherno.ThemouthoftheMercyisabadplaceforavessel,andtheseaisheavythere."

           "Butbyhaulingheruponthesand,tothefootoftheChimneys?"

           "Perhapsyes,"repliedPencroft."Atanyrate,sincewemustleaveGraniteHouseforalongexpedition,Ithinkthe‘Bonadventure’willbesaferhereduringourabsence,andweshalldobesttoleaveherhereuntiltheislandisridoftheseblackguards."

           "Thatisexactlymyopinion,"saidthereporter."Atanyrateintheeventofbadweather,shewillnotbeexposedhereasshewouldbeatthemouthoftheMercy."

           "Butsupposetheconvictspayheranothervisit,"saidHerbert.