Таємничий острів

           "Islandorcontinent?"Thiswashisuppermostthought.

           "Well!"repliedPencroft,"wedon’tknowanythingaboutit,captain!"

           "Youdon’tknowyet?"

           "Butweshallknow,"rejoinedPencroft,"whenyouhaveguidedusintothecountry."

           "IthinkIamabletotryit,"repliedtheengineer,who,withoutmucheffort,roseandstoodupright.

           "That’scapital!"criedthesailor.

           "Ifeeldreadfullyweak,"repliedHarding."Givemesomethingtoeat,myfriends,anditwillsoongooff.Youhavefire,haven’tyou?"

           Thisquestionwasnotimmediatelyrepliedto.But,inafewseconds—

           "Alas!wehavenofire,"saidPencroft,"orrather,captain,wehaveitnolonger!"

           Andthesailorrecountedallthathadpassedthedaybefore.Heamusedtheengineerbythehistoryofthesinglematch,thenhisabortiveattempttoprocurefireinthesavages’way.

           "Weshallconsider,"repliedtheengineer,"andifwedonotfindsomesubstancesimilartotinder—"

           "Well?"askedthesailor.

           "Well,wewillmakematches.

           "Chemicals?"