Таинственный остров

           Theengineer,calculatingthetimeemployedinitsfall,wasabletocalculatethedepthofthewell,whichwasfoundtobeaboutninetyfeet.

           Thefloorofthecavernmustthusbesituatedninetyfeetabovethelevelofthesea.

           "Hereisourdwelling,"saidCyrusHarding.

           "Butitwasoccupiedbysomecreature,"repliedGideonSpilett,whosecuriositywasnotyetsatisfied.

           "Well,thecreature,amphibiousorotherwise,hasmadeoffthroughthisopening,"repliedtheengineer,"andhaslefttheplaceforus."

           "Nevermind,"addedthesailor,"IshouldlikeverymuchtobeTopjustforaquarterofanhour,forhedoesn’tbarkfornothing!"

           CyrusHardinglookedathisdog,andthoseofhiscompanionswhowerenearhimmighthaveheardhimmurmurthesewords,—

           "Yes,IbelievethatTopknowsmorethanwedoaboutagreatmanythings."

           However,thewishesofthesettlerswereforthemostpartsatisfied.Chance,aidedbythemarveloussagacityoftheirleader,haddonethemgreatservice.Theyhadnowattheirdisposalavastcavern,thesizeofwhichcouldnotbeproperlycalculatedbythefeeblelightoftheirtorches,butitwouldcertainlybeeasytodivideitintorooms,bymeansofbrickpartitions,ortouseit,ifnotasahouse,atleastasaspaciousapartment.Thewaterwhichhadleftitcouldnotreturn.Theplacewasfree.

           Twodifficultiesremained;firstly,thepossibilityoflightingthisexcavationinthemidstofsolidrock;secondly,thenecessityofrenderingthemeansofaccessmoreeasy.