"Shehasblownup!"criedHerbert.

           "Yes!blownup,justasifAyrtonhadsetfiretothepowder!"returnedPencroft,throwinghimselfintothelifttogetherwithNebandthelad.

           "Butwhathashappened?"askedGideonSpilett,quitestunnedbythisunexpectedcatastrophe.

           "Oh!thistime,weshallknow—"answeredtheengineerquickly.

           "Whatshallweknow?—"

           "Later!later!Come,Spilett.Themainpointisthatthesepirateshavebeenexterminated!"

           AndCyrusHarding,hurryingawaythereporterandAyrton,joinedPencroft,Neb,andHerbertonthebeach.

           Nothingcouldbeseenofthebrig,notevenhermasts.Afterhavingbeenraisedbythewater-spout,shehadfallenonherside,andhadsunkinthatposition,doubtlessinconsequenceofsomeenormousleak.Butasinthatplacethechannelwasnotmorethantwentyfeetindepth,itwascertainthatthesidesofthesubmergedbrigwouldreappearatlowwater.

           Afewthingsfromthewreckfloatedonthesurfaceofthewater,araftcouldbeseenconsistingofsparespars,coopsofpoultrywiththeiroccupantsstillliving,boxesandbarrels,whichgraduallycametothesurface,afterhavingescapedthroughthehatchways,butnopiecesofthewreckappeared,neitherplanksfromthedeck,nortimberfromthehull,—whichrenderedthesuddendisappearanceofthe"Speedy"perfectlyinexplicable.

           However,thetwomasts,whichhadbeenbrokenandescapedfromtheshroudsandstayscameup,andwiththeirsails,somefurledandtheothersspread.