Таинственный остров

           OnthisoccasionPencroftandhiscompanions,whowereoccupiedwithloosingthemselves,receivedunexpectedaidfromtheprisoner,whoemergedfromthehatchwayasifhissailor’sinstincthadsuddenlyreturned,brokeapieceoutofthebulwarkswithasparsoastoletthewaterwhichfilledthedeckescape.Thenthevesselbeingclear,hedescendedtohiscabinwithouthavingutteredaword.Pencroft,GideonSpilett,andHerbert,greatlyastonished,lethimproceed.

           Theirsituationwastrulyserious,andthesailorhadreasontofearthathewaslostonthewideseawithoutanypossibilityofrecoveringhiscourse.

           Thenightwasdarkandcold.However,abouteleveno’clock,thewindfell,theseawentdown,andthespeedofthevessel,asshelaboredless,greatlyincreased.

           NeitherPencroft,Spilett,norHerbertthoughtoftakinganhour’ssleep.Theykeptasharplook-out,foreitherLincolnIslandcouldnotbefardistantandwouldbesightedatdaybreak,orthe"Bonadventure,"carriedawaybycurrents,haddriftedsomuchthatitwouldbeimpossibletorectifyhercourse.Pencroft,uneasytothelastdegree,yetdidnotdespair,forhehadagallantheart,andgraspingthetillerheanxiouslyendeavoredtopiercethedarknesswhichsurroundedthem.

           Abouttwoo’clockinthemorninghestartedforward,—

           "Alight!alight!"heshouted.

           Indeed,abrightlightappearedtwentymilestothenortheast.LincolnIslandwasthere,andthisfire,evidentlylightedbyCyrusHarding,showedthemthecoursetobefollowed