Таємничий острів

           Itwasprobablethatthestranger’sretreatwasnotlessmysteriousthanwashehimself.

           ThateveningthecarthaltedatthemouthofFallsRiver.Thecampwasorganizedasusual,andthecustomaryprecautionsweretakenforthenight.Herbert,becomeagainthehealthyandvigorousladhewasbeforehisillness,derivedgreatbenefitfromthislifeintheopenair,betweentheseabreezesandthevivifyingairfromtheforests.Hisplacewasnolongerinthecart,butattheheadofthetroop.

           Thenextday,the19thofFebruary,thecolonists,leavingtheshore,where,beyondthemouth,basaltsofeveryshapeweresopicturesquelypiledup,ascendedtheriverbyitsleftbank.Theroadhadbeenalreadypartlyclearedintheirformerexcursionsmadefromthecorraltothewestcoast.ThesettlerswerenowaboutsixmilesfromMountFranklin.

           Theengineer’splanwasthis:—Tominutelysurveythevalleyformingthebedoftheriver,andtocautiouslyapproachtheneighborhoodofthecorral;ifthecorralwasoccupied,toseizeitbyforce;ifitwasnot,toentrenchthemselvesthereandmakeitthecenteroftheoperationswhichhadfortheirobjecttheexplorationofMountFranklin.

           Thisplanwasunanimouslyapprovedbythecolonists,fortheywereimpatienttoregainentirepossessionoftheirisland.

           TheymadetheirwaythenalongthenarrowvalleyseparatingtwoofthelargestspursofMountFranklin.Thetrees,crowdedontheriver’sbank,becamerareontheupperslopesofthemountain.