Таинственный остров

           "Decidedlywehaveonlyoneway,saidSpilett,"onesinglewayforleavingLincolnIsland,andthatis,tobuildavessellargeenoughtosailseveralhundredmiles.Itappearstome,thatwhenonehasbuiltaboatitisjustaseasytobuildaship!"

           "AndinwhichwemightgotothePomoutous,"addedHerbert,"justaseasilyaswewenttoTaborIsland."

           "Idonotsayno,"repliedPencroft,whohadalwaysthecastingvoteinmaritimequestions;"Idonotsayno,althoughitisnotexactlythesamethingtomakealongasashortvoyage!IfourlittlecrafthadbeencaughtinanyheavygaleofwindduringthevoyagetoTaborIsland,weshouldhaveknownthatlandwasatnogreatdistanceeitherway;buttwelvehundredmilesisaprettylongway,andthenearestlandisatleastthatdistance!"

           "Wouldyounot,inthatcase,Pencroft,attempttheadventure?"askedthereporter.

           "Iwillattemptanythingthatisdesired,Mr.Spilett,"answeredthesailor,"andyouknowwellthatIamnotamantoflinch!"

           "Remember,besides,thatwenumberanothersailoramongstusnow,"remarkedNeb.

           "Whoisthat?"askedPencroft.

           "Ayrton."

           "Ifhewillconsenttocome,"saidPencroft.

           "Nonsense!"returnedthereporter;"doyouthinkthatifLordGlenarvan’syachthadappearedatTaborIsland,whilehewasstilllivingthere,Ayrtonwouldhaverefusedtodepart?"

           "Youforget,myfriends,"thensaidCyrusHarding,"thatAyrtonwasnotinpossessionofhisreasonduringthelastyearsofhisstaythere.