Таинственный остров

           "ButIdon’twanttobothermyselfaboutwhetheritwillbecoldornot.Onethingiscertain,thatisthatthedaysarealreadyshort,andtheeveningslong.Supposewetalkaboutthequestionoflight."

           "Nothingiseasier,"repliedHarding.

           "Totalkabout?"askedthesailor.

           "Tosettle."

           "Andwhenshallwebegin?"

           "To-morrow,byhavingasealhunt."

           "Tomakecandles?"

           "Yes."

           Suchwastheengineer’sproject;anditwasquitefeasible,sincehehadlimeandsulphuricacid,whiletheamphibiansoftheisletwouldfurnishthefatnecessaryforthemanufacture.

           Theywerenowatthe4thofJune.ItwasWhitSundayandtheyagreedtoobservethisfeast.Allworkwassuspended,andprayerswereofferedtoHeaven.Buttheseprayerswerenowthanksgivings.ThesettlersinLincolnIslandwerenolongerthemiserablecastawaysthrownontheislet.Theyaskedfornothingmore—theygavethanks.Thenextday,the5thofJune,inratheruncertainweather,theysetoutfortheislet.TheyhadtoprofitbythelowtidetocrosstheChannel,anditwasagreedthattheywouldconstruct,forthispurpose,aswellastheycould,aboatwhichwouldrendercommunicationsomucheasier,andwouldalsopermitthemtoascendtheMercy,atthetimeoftheirgrandexplorationofthesouthwestoftheisland,whichwasputofftillthefirstfinedays.

           Thesealswerenumerous,andthehunters,armedwiththeiriron-tippedspears,easilykilledhalf-a-dozen.