Таємничий острів

           ThewretcheshadnoscruplesastomurderingAyrton!TheysparedBenJoyce!

           ButfromthatmomentAyrtonwasexposedtotheimportunitiesofhisformeraccomplices.Theywishedhimtojointhemagain,andrelieduponhisaidtoenablethemtogainpossessionofGraniteHouse,topenetrateintothathithertoinaccessibledwelling,andtobecomemastersoftheisland,aftermurderingthecolonists!

           Ayrtonremainedfirm.Theonceconvict,nowrepentantandpardoned,wouldratherdiethanbetrayhiscompanions.Ayrton—bound,gagged,andcloselywatched—livedinthiscaveforfourmonths.

           Neverthelesstheconvictshaddiscoveredthecorralashorttimeaftertheirarrivalintheisland,andsincethentheyhadsubsistedonAyrton’sstores,butdidnotliveatthecorral.

           Onthe11thofNovember,twoofthevillains,surprisedbythecolonists’arrival,firedatHerbert,andoneofthemreturned,boastingofhavingkilledoneoftheinhabitantsoftheisland;buthereturnedalone.Hiscompanion,asisknown,fellbyCyrusHarding’sdagger.

           Ayrton’sanxietyanddespairmaybeimaginedwhenhelearnedthenewsofHerbert’sdeath.Thesettlerswerenowonlyfour,and,asitseemed,atthemercyoftheconvicts.Afterthisevent,andduringallthetimethatthecolonists,detainedbyHerbert’sillness,remainedinthecorral,thepiratesdidnotleavetheircavern,andevenaftertheyhadpillagedtheplateauofProspectHeights,theydidnotthinkitprudenttoabandonit.

           Theill-treatmentinflictedonAyrtonwasnowredoubled.