Таинственный остров

           "Hunters,"repliedHerbert."ThereisTopalreadyinquest."

           "Wewillhunt,then,"saidthesailor,"andafterwardswecancomebackandcollectourwood."

           Thisagreedto,Herbert,Neb,andPencroft,afterhavingtornthreesticksfromthetrunkofayoungfir,followedTop,whowasboundingaboutamongthelonggrass.

           Thistime,thehunters,insteadoffollowingthecourseoftheriver,plungedstraightintotheheartoftheforest.Therewerestillthesametrees,belonging,forthemostpart,tothepinefamily.Incertainplaces,lesscrowded,growinginclumps,thesepinesexhibitedconsiderabledimensions,andappearedtoindicate,bytheirdevelopment,thatthecountrywassituatedinahigherlatitudethantheengineerhadsupposed.Glades,bristlingwithstumpswornawaybytime,werecoveredwithdrywood,whichformedaninexhaustiblestoreoffuel.Then,thegladepassed,theunderwoodthickenedagain,andbecamealmostimpenetrable.

           Itwasdifficultenoughtofindthewayamongthegroupsoftrees,withoutanybeatentrack.Sothesailorfromtimetotimebrokeoffbrancheswhichmightbeeasilyrecognized.But,perhaps,hewaswrongnottofollowthewatercourse,asheandHerberthaddoneontheirfirstexcursion,forafterwalkinganhournotacreaturehadshownitself.Top,runningunderthebranches,onlyrousedbirdswhichcouldnotbeapproached.Eventhecouroucouswereinvisible,anditwasprobablethatthesailorwouldbeobligedtoreturntothemarshypartoftheforest,inwhichhehadsohappilyperformedhisgrousefishing.

           "Well,Pencroft,"saidNeb,inaslightlysarcastictone,"ifthisisallthegamewhichyoupromisedtobringbacktomymaster,itwon’tneedalargefiretoroastit!"