Таємничий острів

           Nevertheless,theysaw,thoughunabletogetnearthem,acoupleofthoselargebirdspeculiartoAustralia,asortofcassowary,calledemu,fivefeetinheight,andwithbrownplumage,whichbelongtothetribeofwaders.Topdartedafterthemasfastashisfourlegscouldcarryhim,buttheemusdistancedhimwithease,soprodigiouswastheirspeed.

           Astothetracesleftbytheconvicts,afewmorewerediscovered.Somefootprintsfoundnearanapparentlyrecentlyextinguishedfirewereattentivelyexaminedbythesettlers.Bymeasuringthemoneaftertheother,accordingtotheirlengthandbreadth,themarksoffivemen’sfeetwereeasilydistinguished.Thefiveconvictshadevidentlycampedonthisspot;but,—andthiswastheobjectofsominuteanexamination,—asixthfootprintcouldnotbediscovered,whichinthatcasewouldhavebeenthatofAyrton.

           "Ayrtonwasnotwiththem!"saidHerbert.

           "No,"answeredPencroft,"andifhewasnotwiththem,itwasbecausethewretcheshadalreadymurderedhim!butthentheserascalshavenotadentowhichtheymaybetrackedliketigers!"

           "No,"repliedthereporter,"itismoreprobablethattheywanderatrandom,anditistheirinteresttoroveaboutuntilthetimewhentheywillbemastersoftheisland!"

           "Themastersoftheisland!"exclaimedthesailor;"themastersoftheisland!..."herepeated,andhisvoicewaschoked,asifhisthroatwasseizedinanirongrasp