Таємничий острів

           CyrusHardingandhiscompanionsfollowedbesidetheroadthewirewhichconnectedthecorralwithGraniteHouse.Afterwalkingfornearlytwomiles,theyhadnotasyetdiscoveredanyexplanationofthedifficulty.Thepostswereingoodorder,thewireregularlyextended.However,atthatmomenttheengineerobservedthatthewireappearedtobeslack,andonarrivingatpostNo.74,Herbert,whowasinadvancestopped,exclaiming,—

           "Thewireisbroken!"

           Hiscompanionshurriedforwardandarrivedatthespotwheretheladwasstanding.Thepostwasrootedupandlyingacrossthepath.Theunexpectedexplanationofthedifficultywashere,anditwasevidentthatthedespatchesfromGraniteHousehadnotbeenreceivedatthecorral,northosefromthecorralatGraniteHouse.

           "Itwasn’tthewindthatblewdownthispost,"observedPencroft.

           "No,"repliedGideonSpilett."Theearthhasbeenduguprounditsfoot,andithasbeentornupbythehandofman."

           "Besides,thewireisbroken,"addedHerbert,showingthatthewirehadbeensnapped.

           "Isthefracturerecent?"askedHarding.

           "Yes,"answeredHerbert,"ithascertainlybeendonequitelately."

           "Tothecorral!tothecorral!"exclaimedthesailor.

           ThecolonistswerenowhalfwaybetweenGraniteHouseandthecorral,havingstilltwomilesandahalftogo.Theypressedforwardwithredoubledspeed.

           Indeed,itwastobefearedthatsomeseriousaccidenthadoccurredinthecorral.