Таинственный остров

           CyrusHardinghadintendedtoblowherup,soastocollecttheremainsontheshore,butastronggalefromthenortheastandaheavyseacompelledhimtoeconomizehispowder.

           Infact,onthenightofthe23rd,thehullentirelybrokeup,andsomeofthewreckwascastuponthebeach.

           Astothepapersonboard,itisuselesstosaythat,althoughhecarefullysearchedthelockersofthepoop,Hardingdidnotdiscoveranytraceofthem.Thepirateshadevidentlydestroyedeverythingthatconcernedeitherthecaptainortheownersofthe"Speedy,"and,asthenameofherportwasnotpaintedonhercounter,therewasnothingwhichwouldtellthemhernationality.However,bytheshapeofherboatsAyrtonandPencroftbelievedthatthebrigwasofEnglishbuild.

           Aweekafterthecastrophe—or,rather,afterthefortunate,thoughinexplicable,eventtowhichthecolonyoweditspreservation—nothingmorecouldbeseenofthevessel,evenatlowtide.Thewreckhaddisappeared,andGraniteHousewasenrichedbynearlyallithadcontained.

           However,themysterywhichenvelopeditsstrangedestructionwoulddoubtlessneverhavebeenclearedawayif,onthe30thofNovember,Neb,strollingonthebeach,hadnotfoundapieceofathickironcylinder,bearingtracesofexplosion.Theedgesofthiscylinderweretwistedandbroken,asiftheyhadbeensubjectedtotheactionofsomeexplosivesubstance.

           Nebbroughtthispieceofmetaltohismaster,whowasthenoccupiedwithhiscompanionsintheworkshopoftheChimneys