Таємничий острів

           AfterhavingaccompaniedhisfriendstoCreekGlycerine,heraisedthebridge;andwaitingbehindatreehewatchedforthereturnofeitherhiscompanionsorAyrton.

           Intheeventofthepiratespresentingthemselvesandattemptingtoforcethepassage,hewastoendeavortostopthembyfiringonthem,andasalastresourcehewastotakerefugeinGraniteHouse,where,theliftonceraised,hewouldbeinsafety.

           CyrusHarding,GideonSpilett,Herbert,andPencroftweretorepairtothecorral,andiftheydidnotfindAyrton,searchtheneighboringwoods.

           Atsixo’clockinthemorning,theengineerandhisthreecompanionshadpassedCreekGlycerine,andNebpostedhimselfbehindasmallmoundcrownedbyseveraldragontrees,ontheleftbankofthestream.

           Thecolonists,afterleavingtheplateauofProspectHeights,immediatelytooktheroadtothecorral.Theyshoulderedtheirguns,readytofireontheslightesthostiledemonstration.Thetworiflesandthetwogunshadbeenloadedwithball.

           Thewoodwasthickoneachsideoftheroadandmighteasilyhaveconcealedtheconvicts,whoowingtotheirweaponswouldhavebeenreallyformidable.

           Thecolonistswalkedrapidlyandinsilence.Topprecededthem,sometimesrunningontheroad,sometimestakingarambleintothewood,butalwaysquietandnotappearingtofearanythingunusual.Andtheycouldbesurethatthefaithfuldogwouldnotallowthemtobesurprised,butwouldbarkattheleastappearanceofdanger.