Таємничий острів

           Theywouldmaketheirwaywiththeirhatchets,andthuslaythefirstdraftofaroadwhichwouldplaceGraniteHouseincommunicationwiththeendofthepeninsulaforalengthoffromsixteentoseventeenmiles.

           Thecartwasingoodcondition.Theonagers,wellrested,couldgoalongjourney.Provisions,campeffects,aportablestove,andvariousutensilswerepackedinthecart,asalsoweaponsandammunition,carefullychosenfromthenowcompletearsenalofGraniteHouse.Butitwasnecessarytorememberthattheconvictswere,perhaps,roamingaboutthewoods,andthatinthemidstofthesethickforestsashotmightquicklybefiredandreceived.Itwasthereforeresolvedthatthelittlebandofsettlersshouldremaintogetherandnotseparateunderanypretextwhatever.

           ItwasalsodecidedthatnooneshouldremainatGraniteHouse.TopandJupthemselvesweretoaccompanytheexpedition;theinaccessibledwellingneedednoguard.The14thofFebruary,eveofthedeparture,wasconsecratedentirelytorepose,and—thanksgivingaddressedbythecoloniststotheCreator.AplaceinthecartwasreservedforHerbert,who,thoughthoroughlyconvalescent,wasstillalittleweak.Thenextmorning,atdaybreak,CyrusHardingtookthenecessarymeasurestoprotectGraniteHousefromanyinvasion.Theladders,whichwereformerlyusedfortheascent,werebroughttotheChimneysandburieddeepinthesand,sothattheymightbeavailableonthereturnofthecolonists,forthemachineryofthelifthadbeentakentopieces,andnothingoftheapparatusremained.