Таємничий острів

           Pencroftalsothoughtofmixingwiththewatersomemoisturefromthetitra’sfleshwhichhehadbrought.Herbertrantothebeachandreturnedwithtwolargebivalveshells.Thesailorconcoctedsomethingwhichheintroducedbetweenthelipsoftheengineer,whoeagerlydrinkingitopenedhiseyes.

           Nebandthereporterwereleaningoverhim.

           "Mymaster!mymaster!"criedNeb.

           Theengineerheardhim.HerecognizedNebandSpilett,thenhisothertwocompanions,andhishandslightlypressedtheirs.

           Afewwordsagainescapedhim,whichshowedwhatthoughtswere,eventhen,troublinghisbrain.Thistimehewasunderstood.Undoubtedlytheywerethesamewordshehadbeforeattemptedtoutter.

           "Islandorcontinent?"hemurmured.

           "Botherthecontinent,"criedPencrofthastily;"thereistimeenoughtoseeaboutthat,captain!wedon’tcareforanything,providedyouareliving."

           Theengineernoddedfaintly,andthenappeasedtosleep.

           Theyrespectedthissleep,andthereporterbeganimmediatelytomakearrangementsfortransportingHardingtoamorecomfortableplace.Neb,Herbert,andPencroftleftthecaveanddirectedtheirstepstowardsahighmoundcrownedwithafewdistortedtrees.Onthewaythesailorcouldnothelprepeating,—

           "Islandorcontinent!Tothinkofthat,whenatone’slastgasp!Whataman!"