Таємничий острів

           Hethoughtitbettertowaituntilallthesettlerswerecollectedtogetherbeforeattemptingtopenetrateintothecorral.Onethingwascertain,thatitwaspossibletoreachthepalisadewithoutbeingseen,andalsothatitdidnotappeartobeguarded.Thispointsettled,therewasnothingtobedonebuttoreturntothecart,wheretheywouldconsult.

           Pencroftprobablyagreedwiththisdecision,forhefollowedthereporterwithoutmakinganyobjectionwhenthelatterturnedbacktothewood.

           Inafewminutestheengineerwasmadeacquaintedwiththestateofaffairs.

           "Well,"saidhe,afteralittlethought,"Inowhavereasontobelievethattheconvictsarenotinthecorral."

           "Weshallsoonknow,"saidPencroft,"whenwehavescaledthepalisade."

           "Tothecorral,myfriends!"saidCyrusHarding.

           "Shallweleavethecartinthewood?"askedNeb.

           "No,"repliedtheengineer,"itisourwagonofammunitionandprovisions,and,ifnecessary,itwouldserveasanentrenchment."

           "Forward,then!"saidGideonSpilett.

           Thecartemergedfromthewoodandbegantorollnoiselesslytowardsthepalisade.Thedarknesswasnowprofound,thesilenceascompleteaswhenPencroftandthereportercreptovertheground.Thethickgrasscompletelymuffledtheirfootsteps.Thecolonistsheldthemselvesreadytofire.Jup,atPencroft’sorders,keptbehind.NebledTopinaleash,topreventhimfromboundingforward.

           Theclearingsooncameinsight.Itwasdeserted.Withouthesitating,thelittlebandmovedtowardsthepalisade.