Таємничий острів

           "Chemicals!"

           "Itisnotmoredifficultthanthat,"criedthereporter,strikingthesailorontheshoulder.

           Thelatterdidnotthinkitsosimple,buthedidnotprotest.Allwentout.Theweatherhadbecomeveryfine.Thesunwasrisingfromthesea’shorizon,andtouchedwithgoldenspanglestheprismaticrugositiesofthehugeprecipice.

           Havingthrownarapidglancearoundhim,theengineerseatedhimselfonablockofstone.Herbertofferedhimafewhandfulsofshell-fishandsargassum,saying,—

           "Itisallthatwehave,CaptainHarding."

           "Thanks,myboy,"repliedHarding;"itwilldo—forthismorningatleast."

           Heatethewretchedfoodwithappetite,andwasheditdownwithalittlefreshwater,drawnfromtheriverinanimmenseshell.

           Hiscompanionslookedathimwithoutspeaking.Then,feelingsomewhatrefreshed,CyrusHardingcrossedhisarms,andsaid,—

           "So,myfriends,youdonotknowyetwhetherfatehasthrownusonanisland,oronacontinent?"

           "No,captain,"repliedtheboy.

           "Weshallknowto-morrow,"saidtheengineer;"tillthen,thereisnothingtobedone."

           "Yes,"repliedPencroft.