"Well,captain,wherearewegoingtobegin?"askedPencroftnextmorningoftheengineer.

           "Atthebeginning,"repliedCyrusHarding.

           Andinfact,thesettlerswerecompelledtobegin"attheverybeginning."Theydidnotpossesseventhetoolsnecessaryformakingtools,andtheywerenotevenintheconditionofnature,who,"havingtime,husbandsherstrength."Theyhadnotime,sincetheyhadtoprovidefortheimmediatewantsoftheirexistence,andthough,profitingbyacquiredexperience,theyhadnothingtoinvent,stilltheyhadeverythingtomake;theirironandtheirsteelwereasyetonlyinthestateofminerals,theirearthenwareinthestateofclay,theirlinenandtheirclothesinthestateoftextilematerial.

           Itmustbesaid,however,thatthesettlerswere"men"inthecompleteandhighersenseoftheword.TheengineerHardingcouldnothavebeensecondedbymoreintelligentcompanions,norwithmoredevotionandzeal.Hehadtriedthem.Heknewtheirabilities.

           GideonSpilett,atalentedreporter,havinglearnedeverythingsoastobeabletospeakofeverything,wouldcontributelargelywithhisheadandhandstothecolonizationoftheisland.Hewouldnotdrawbackfromanytask:adeterminedsportsman,hewouldmakeabusinessofwhattillthenhadonlybeenapleasuretohim.

           Herbert,agallantboy,alreadyremarkablywellinformedinthenaturalsciences,wouldrendergreaterservicetothecommoncause.

           Nebwasdevotionpersonified.