Таємничий острів

           AtsevenintheeveningNebhadnotreturned.TheprolongedabsenceoftheNegromadePencroftveryuneasy.Itwastobefearedthathehadmetwithanaccidentonthisunknownland,orthattheunhappyfellowhadbeendriventosomeactofdespair.ButHerbertdrewverydifferentconclusionsfromthisabsence.Accordingtohim,Neb’sdelaywascausedbysomenewcircumstanceswhichhadinducedhimtoprolonghissearch.Also,everythingnewmustbetotheadvantageofCyrusHarding.WhyhadNebnotreturnedunlesshopestilldetainedhim?Perhapshehadfoundsomemark,afootstep,atracewhichhadputhimintherightpath.Perhapshewasatthismomentonacertaintrack.Perhapsevenhewasnearhismaster.

           Thustheladreasoned.Thushespoke.Hiscompanionslethimtalk.Thereporteraloneapprovedwithagesture.ButwhatPencroftthoughtmostprobablewas,thatNebhadpushedhisresearchesontheshorefartherthanthedaybefore,andthathehadnotasyethadtimetoreturn.

           Herbert,however,agitatedbyvaguepresentiments,severaltimesmanifestedanintentiontogotomeetNeb.ButPencroftassuredhimthatthatwouldbeauselesscourse,thatinthedarknessanddeplorableweatherhecouldnotfindanytracesofNeb,andthatitwouldbemuchbettertowait.IfNebhadnotmadehisappearancebythenextday,Pencroftwouldnothesitatetojoinhiminhissearch.

           GideonSpilettapprovedofthesailor’sopinionthatitwasbestnottodivide,andHerbertwasobligedtogiveuphisproject;buttwolargetearsfellfromhiseyes.

           Thereportercouldnotrefrainfromembracingthegenerousboy.

           Badweathernowsetin.Afuriousgalefromthesoutheastpassedoverthecoast.Thesearoaredasitbeatoverthereef.