Таємничий острів

           FromtheplanksandinjuredribsPencroftandAyrtonhadextractedtheboltsandalargequantityofcoppernails.Itwassomuchworksavedforthesmiths,butthecarpentershadmuchtodo.

           Shipbuildingwasinterruptedforaweekfortheharvest,thehaymaking,andthegatheringinofthedifferentcropsontheplateau.Thisworkfinished,everymomentwasdevotedtofinishingtheschooner.Whennightcametheworkmenwerereallyquiteexhausted.Soasnottoloseanytimetheyhadchangedthehoursfortheirmeals;theydinedattwelveo’clock,andonlyhadtheirsupperwhendaylightfailedthem.TheythenascendedtoGraniteHouse,whentheywerealwaysreadytogotobed.

           Sometimes,however,whentheconversationboreonsomeinterestingsubjectthehourforsleepwasdelayedforatime.Thecoloniststhenspokeofthefuture,andtalkedwillinglyofthechangeswhichavoyageintheschoonertoinhabitedlandswouldmakeintheirsituation.Butalways,inthemidstoftheseplans,prevailedthethoughtofasubsequentreturntoLincolnIsland.Neverwouldtheyabandonthiscolony,foundedwithsomuchlaborandwithsuchsuccess,andtowhichacommunicationwithAmericawouldaffordafreshimpetus.PencroftandNebespeciallyhopedtoendtheirdaysthere.

           "Herbert,"saidthesailor,"youwillneverabandonLincolnIsland?"

           "Never,Pencroft,andespeciallyifyoumakeupyourmindtostaythere."

           "Thatwasmadeuplongago,myboy,"answeredPencroft."Ishallexpectyou.