Таємничий острів

           Thirtyfeetdistantwasthegateofthecorral,whichappearedtobeclosed.Thisthirtyfeet,whichitwasnecessarytocrossfromthewoodtothepalisade,constitutedthedangerouszone,toborrowaballisticterm:infact,oneormorebulletsfiredfrombehindthepalisademightknockoveranyonewhoventuredontothiszone.GideonSpilettandthesailorwerenotmentodrawback,buttheyknewthatanyimprudenceontheirpart,ofwhichtheywouldbethefirstvictims,wouldfallafterwardsontheircompanions.Iftheythemselveswerekilled,whatwouldbecomeofHarding,Neb,andHerbert?

           ButPencroft,excitedatfeelinghimselfsonearthecorralwherehesupposedtheconvictshadtakenrefuge,wasabouttopressforward,whenthereporterheldhimbackwithagraspofiron.

           "Inafewminutesitwillbequitedark,"whisperedSpilettinthesailor’sear,"thenwillbethetimetoact."

           Pencroft,convulsivelyclaspingthebutt-endofhisgun,restrainedhisenergies,andwaited,swearingtohimself.

           Soonthelastofthetwilightfadedaway.Darkness,whichseemedasifitissuedfromthedenseforest,coveredtheclearing.MountFranklinroselikeanenormousscreenbeforethewesternhorizon,andnightspreadrapidlyoverall,asitdoesinregionsoflowlatitudes.Nowwasthetime.

           ThereporterandPencroft,sincepostingthemselvesontheedgeofthewood,hadnotoncelostsightofthepalisade.Thecorralappearedtobeabsolutelydeserted.