Таємничий острів

           Thedescentwasextremelyperilous,buttheydidnotthinkofthedanger;theywerenolongermastersofthemselves,andanirresistibleattractiondrewthemtowardsthismysteriousplaceasthemagnetdrawsiron.

           Thustheyalmostunconsciouslydescendedthisravine,whicheveninbroaddaylightwouldhavebeenconsideredimpracticable.

           Thestonesrolledandsparkledlikefieryballswhentheycrossedthroughthegleamsoflight.Hardingwasfirst—Ayrtonlast.Ontheywent,stepbystep.Nowtheyslidovertheslipperyrock;thentheystruggledtotheirfeetandscrambledon.

           Atlastthewiretouchedtherocksonthebeach.Thecolonistshadreachedthebottomofthebasaltcliff.

           Thereappearedanarrowridge,runninghorizontallyandparallelwiththesea.Thesettlersfollowedthewirealongit.Theyhadnotgoneahundredpaceswhentheridgebyamoderateinclineslopeddowntothelevelofthesea.

           Theengineerseizedthewireandfoundthatitdisappearedbeneaththewaves.

           Hiscompanionswerestupefied.

           Acryofdisappointment,almostacryofdespair,escapedthem!Musttheythenplungebeneaththewaterandseekthereforsomesubmarinecavern?Intheirexcitedstatetheywouldnothavehesitatedtodoit.

           Theengineerstoppedthem.

           Heledhiscompanionstoahollowintherocks,andthere—

           "Wemustwait,"saidhe."Thetideishigh.Atlowwaterthewaywillbeopen."

           "Butwhatcanmakeyouthink-"askedPencroft.