Таинственный остров

           "Aretheynumerous?thatisthequestion,"saidthereporter."Iftheyarenotmorethanadozen,weshallbeabletostopthem,butforty,fifty,moreperhaps!"

           "CaptainHarding,"thensaidAyrton,advancingtowardstheengineer,"willyougivemeleave?"

           "Forwhat,myfriend?"

           "Togotothatvesseltofindoutthestrengthofhercrew."

           "ButAyrton—"answeredtheengineer,hesitating,"youwillriskyourlife—"

           "Whynot,sir?"

           "Thatismorethanyourduty."

           "Ihavemorethanmydutytodo,"repliedAyrton.

           "Willyougototheshipintheboat?"askedGideonSpilett.

           "No,sir,butIwillswim.Aboatwouldbeseenwhereamanmayglidebetweenwindandwater."

           "Doyouknowthatthebrigisamileandaquarterfromtheshore?"saidHerbert.

           "Iamagoodswimmer,Mr.Herbert."

           "Itellyouitisriskingyourlife,"saidtheengineer.

           "Thatisnomatter,"answeredAyrton."CaptainHarding,Iaskthisasafavor.Perhapsitwillbeameansofraisingmeinmyowneyes!"

           "Go,Ayrton,"repliedtheengineer,whofeltsurethatarefusalwouldhavedeeplywoundedtheformerconvict,nowbecomeanhonestman.

           "Iwillaccompanyyou,"saidPencroft.

           "Youmistrustme!"saidAyrtonquickly.

           Thenmorehumbly,—

           "Alas!"

           "No!no!"exclaimedHardingwithanimation,"no,Ayrton,Pencroftdoesnotmistrustyou.Youinterprethiswordswrongly."

           "Indeed,"returnedthesailor,"IonlyproposetoaccompanyAyrtonasfarastheislet.