Таємничий острів

           "Havepatience,"repliedthesailor,"itisn’tthegamewhichwillbewantingonourreturn."

           "HaveyounotconfidenceinCaptainHarding?"

           "Yes."

           "Butyoudon’tbelievethathewillmakefire?"

           "Ishallbelieveitwhenthewoodisblazinginthefireplace."

           "Itwillblaze,sincemymasterhassaidso."

           "Weshallsee!"

           Meanwhile,thesunhadnotreachedthehighestpointinitscourseabovethehorizon.Theexploration,therefore,continued,andwasusefullymarkedbyadiscoverywhichHerbertmadeofatreewhosefruitwasedible.Thiswasthestone-pine,whichproducesanexcellentalmond,verymuchesteemedinthetemperateregionsofAmericaandEurope.Thesealmondswereinaperfectstateofmaturity,andHerbertdescribedthemtohiscompanions,whofeastedonthem.

           "Come,"saidPencroft,"sea-weedbywayofbread,rawmusselsformeat,andalmondsfordessert,that’scertainlyagooddinnerforthosewhohavenotasinglematchintheirpocket!"

           Wemustn’tcomplain,"saidHerbert.

           "Iamnotcomplaining,myboy,"repliedPencroft,"onlyIrepeat,thatmeatisalittletoomucheconomizedinthissortofmeal."