Таинственный остров

           Theymust,infact,preparesomeprovisionsandprocuremorestrengtheningfoodthaneggsandmolluscs.Theexplorers,beforeundertakingnewfatigues,mustfirstofallrecruittheirstrength.

           TheChimneysofferedaretreatsufficientforthepresent.Thefirewaslighted,anditwaseasytopreservesomeembers.Therewereplentyofshell-fishandeggsamongtherocksandonthebeach.Itwouldbeeasytokillafewofthepigeonswhichwereflyingbyhundredsaboutthesummitoftheplateau,eitherwithsticksorstones.Perhapsthetreesoftheneighboringforestwouldsupplythemwitheatablefruit.Lastly,thesweetwaterwasthere.

           ItwasaccordinglysettledthatforafewdaystheywouldremainattheChimneyssoastopreparethemselvesforanexpedition,eitheralongtheshoreorintotheinteriorofthecountry.ThisplansuitedNebparticularly.Asobstinateinhisideasasinhispresentiments,hewasinnohastetoabandonthispartofthecoast,thesceneofthecatastrophe.Hedidnot,hewouldnotbelieveinthelossofCyrusHarding.No,itdidnotseemtohimpossiblethatsuchamanhadendedinthisvulgarfashion,carriedawaybyawave,drownedinthefloods,afewhundredfeetfromashore.Aslongasthewaveshadnotcastupthebodyoftheengineer,aslongashe,Neb,hadnotseenwithhiseyes,touchedwithhishandsthecorpseofhismaster,hewouldnotbelieveinhisdeath!Andthisidearooteditselfdeeperthaneverinhisdeterminedheart.Anillusionperhaps,butstillanillusiontoberespected,andonewhichthesailordidnotwishtodestroy.Asforhim,hehopednolonger,buttherewasnouseinarguingwithNeb.Hewaslikethedogwhowillnotleavetheplacewherehismasterisburied,andhisgriefwassuchthatmostprobablyhewouldnotsurvivehim.

           Thissamemorning,the26thofMarch,atdaybreak,Nebhadsetoutontheshoreinanortherlydirection,andhehadreturnedtothespotwherethesea,nodoubt,hadclosedovertheunfortunateHarding.