Таинственный остров

           AtthismomenthiseyesfelluponTop,whowasrunningaboutontheshore.SuddenlyHarding’sfacebecameanimated.

           "Top,here,"saidhe.

           Thedogcameathismaster’scall.ThelattertookTop’sheadbetweenhishands,andunfasteningthecollarwhichtheanimalworeroundhisneck,hebrokeitintwo,saying,—

           "Therearetwoknives,Pencroft!"

           Twohurrahsfromthesailorwasthereply.Top’scollarwasmadeofathinpieceoftemperedsteel.Theyhadonlytosharpenitonapieceofsandstone,thentoraisetheedgeonafinerstone.Nowsandstonewasabundantonthebeach,andtwohoursafterthestockoftoolsinthecolonyconsistedoftwosharpblades,whichwereeasilyfixedinsolidhandles.

           Theproductionofthesetheirfirsttoolswashailedasatriumph.Itwasindeedavaluableresultoftheirlabor,andaveryopportuneone.Theysetout.

           CyrusHardingproposedthattheyshouldreturntothewesternshoreofthelake,wherethedaybeforehehadnoticedtheclayeygroundofwhichhepossessedaspecimen.TheythereforefollowedthebankoftheMercy,traversedProspectHeights,andalterawalkoffivemilesormoretheyreachedaglade,situatedtwohundredfeetfromLakeGrant.

           OnthewayHerberthaddiscoveredatree,thebranchesofwhichtheIndiansofSouthAmericaemployformakingtheirbows.Itwasthecrejimba,ofthepalmfamily,whichdoesnotbearediblefruit.