Таинственный остров

           Topwasnotmoresuccessfulthanhismasters.

           "Captain,"saidPencroft,whentheengineerandthereporterhadrejoinedthem,"Captain,youseequitewellwecan’tgetonunlesswemakeafewguns.Willthatbepossible?"

           "Perhaps,"repliedtheengineer,"butwewillbeginbyfirstmanufacturingsomebowsandarrows,andIdon’tdoubtthatyouwillbecomeascleverintheuseofthemastheAustralianhunters."

           "Bowsandarrows!"saidPencroftscornfully."That’sallverywellforchildren!"

           "Don’tbeproud,friendPencroft,"repliedthereporter."Bowsandarrowsweresufficientforcenturiestostaintheearthwithblood.Powderisbutathingofyesterday,andwarisasoldasthehumanrace—unhappily."

           "Faith,that’strue,Mr.Spilett,"repliedthesailor,"andIalwaysspeaktooquickly.Youmustexcuseme!"

           Meanwhile,Herbertconstanttohisfavoritescience,NaturalHistory,revertedtothekangaroos,saying,—

           "Besides,wehadtodealjustnowwiththespecieswhichismostdifficulttocatch.Theyweregiantswithlonggrayfur;butifIamnotmistaken,thereexistblackandredkangaroos,rockkangaroos,andratkangaroos,whicharemoreeasytogetholdof.Itisreckonedthatthereareaboutadozenspecies."

           "Herbert,"repliedthesailorsententiously,"thereisonlyonespeciesofkangaroostome,thatis‘kangarooonthespit,’andit’sjusttheonewehaven’tgotthisevening!"

           TheycouldnothelplaughingatMasterPencroft’snewclassification.