Таємничий острів

           Inashortspaceoftimethedangerouszonewaspassed.Nebremainedattheonagers’headstoholdthem.Theengineer,thereporter,Herbert,andPencroft,proceededtothedoor,inordertoascertainifitwasbarricadedinside.Itwasopen!

           "Whatdoyousaynow?"askedtheengineer,turningtothesailorandSpilett.

           Bothwerestupefied.

           "Icanswear,"saidPencroft,"thatthisgatewasshutjustnow!"

           Thecolonistsnowhesitated.WeretheconvictsinthecorralwhenPencroftandthereportermadetheirreconnaissance?Itcouldnotbedoubted,asthegatethenclosedcouldonlyhavebeenopenedbythem.Weretheystillthere,orhadoneoftheirnumberjustgoneout?

           Allthesequestionspresentedthemselvessimultaneouslytothemindsofthecolonists,buthowcouldtheybeanswered?

           Atthatmoment,Herbert,whohadadvancedafewstepsintotheenclosure,drewbackhurriedly,andseizedHarding’shand.

           "What’sthematter?"askedtheengineer.

           "Alight!"

           "Inthehouse?"

           "Yes!"

           Allfiveadvancedandindeed,throughthewindowfrontingthem,theysawglimmeringafeeblelight.CyrusHardingmadeuphismindrapidly."Itisouronlychance,"saidhetohiscompanions,"offindingtheconvictscollectedinthishouse,suspectingnothing!Theyareinourpower!Forward!"Thecolonistscrossedthroughtheenclosure,holdingtheirgunsreadyintheirhands.ThecarthadbeenleftoutsideunderthechargeofJupandTop,whohadbeenprudentlytiedtoit.