Таємничий острів

           Butnowthevaporswerereplacedbyathicksmoke,risingintheformofagrayishcolumn,morethanthreehundredfeetinwidthatitsbase,andwhichspreadlikeanimmensemushroomtoaheightoffromseventoeighthundredfeetabovethesummitofthemountain.

           "Thefireisinthechimney,"observedGideonSpilett.

           "Andwecan’tputitout!"repliedHerbert.

           "Thevolcanooughttobeswept,"observedNeb,whospokeasifperfectlyserious.

           "Wellsaid,Neb!"criedPencroft,withashoutoflaughter;"andyou’llundertakethejob,nodoubt?"

           CyrusHardingattentivelyobservedthedensesmokeemittedbyMountFranklin,andevenlistened,asifexpectingtohearsomedistantmuttering.Then,turningtowardshiscompanions,fromwhomhehadgonesomewhatapart,hesaid,—

           "Thetruthis,myfriends,wemustnotconcealfromourselvesthatanimportantchangeisgoingforward.Thevolcanicsubstancesarenolongerinastateofebullition,theyhavecaughtfire,andweareundoubtedlymenacedbyanapproachingeruption."

           "Well,captain,"saidPencroft,"weshallwitnesstheeruption;andifitisagoodone,we’llapplaudit.Idon’tseethatweneedconcernourselvesfurtheraboutthematter."

           "Itmaybeso,"repliedCyrusHarding,"fortheancienttrackofthelavaisstillopen;andthankstothis,thecraterhashithertooverflowedtowardsthenorth.Andyet—"

           "Andyet,aswecanderivenoadvantagefromaneruption,itmightbebetteritshouldnottakeplace,"saidthereporter.