Таємничий острів

           MountFranklinwasnowhoodedbyasombercloudofsinisteraspect,and,amidtheflames,vomitingforthincandescentrocks,someofwhichfellbackintothecrateritself.ThiscausedPencroft,whowouldonlylookatthematterinthelightofajoke,toexclaim,—

           "Ah!thegiantisplayingatcupandball;heisaconjurer."

           Infact,thesubstancesthrownupfellbackagainintotheabyss,anditdidnotseemthatthelava,thoughswollenbytheinternalpressure,hadyetrisentotheorificeofthecrater.Atanyrate,theopeningonthenortheast,whichwaspartlyvisible,pouredoutnotorrentuponthenorthernslopeofthemountain.

           Nevertheless,howeverpressingwastheconstructionofthevessel,otherdutiesdemandedthepresenceofthecolonistsonvariousportionsoftheisland.Beforeeverythingitwasnecessarytogotothecorral,wheretheflocksofmusmonsandgoatswereenclosed,andreplenishtheprovisionofforageforthoseanimals.ItwasaccordinglyarrangedthatAyrtonshouldproceedthitherthenextday,the7thofJanuary;andashewassufficientforthetask,towhichhewasaccustomed,PencroftandtherestweresomewhatsurprisedonhearingtheengineersaytoAyrton—

           "Asyouaregoingto-morrowtothecorralIwillaccompanyyou."

           "But,CaptainHarding,"exclaimedthesailor,"ourworkingdayswillnotbemany,andifyougoalsoweshallbetwopairofhandsshort!"

           "Weshallreturnto-morrow,"repliedCyrusHarding,"butitisnecessarythatIshouldgotothecorral.Imustlearnhowtheeruptionisprogressing."