Таинственный остров

           Thereporterandtheengineerwenttogether,GideonSpilettreadytonoteeveryincident,theengineersilentforthemostpart,andonlysteppingasidetopickuponethingoranother,amineralorvegetablesubstance,whichheputintohispocket,withoutmakinganyremark.

           "Whatcanhebepickingup?"mutteredPencroft."Ihavelookedinvainforanythingthat’sworththetroubleofstoopingfor."

           Towardsteno’clockthelittlebanddescendedthelastdeclivitiesofMountFranklin.Asyetthegroundwasscantilystrewnwithbushesandtrees.Theywerewalkingoveryellowishcalcinatedearth,formingaplainofnearlyamilelong,whichextendedtotheedgeofthewood.Greatblocksofthatbasalt,which,accordingtoBischof,takesthreehundredandfiftymillionsofyearstocool,strewedtheplain,veryconfusedinsomeplaces.However,therewereherenotracesoflava,whichwasspreadmoreparticularlyoverthenorthernslopes.

           CyrusHardingexpectedtoreach,withoutincident,thecourseofthecreek,whichhesupposedflowedunderthetreesattheborderoftheplain,whenhesawHerbertrunninghastilyback,whileNebandthesailorwerehidingbehindtherocks.

           "What’sthematter,myboy?"askedSpilett.

           "Smoke,"repliedHerbert."Wehaveseensmokeamongtherocks,ahundredpacesfromus."

           "Meninthisplace?"criedthereporter.

           "Wemustavoidshowingourselvesbeforeknowingwithwhomwehavetodeal,"repliedCyrusHarding."Itrustthattherearenonativesonthisisland;Idreadthemmorethananythingelse.