Таинственный остров

           Neb,Herbert,andPencroftstopped,motionless.Topplungedintothewater,butthecapybara,hiddenatthebottomofthepond,didnotappear.

           "Letuswait,"saidtheboy,"forhewillsooncometothesurfacetobreathe."

           "Won’thedrown?"askedNeb.

           "No,"repliedHerbert,"sincehehaswebbedfeet,andisalmostanamphibiousanimal.Butwatchhim."

           Topremainedinthewater.Pencroftandhistwocompanionswenttodifferentpartsofthebank,soastocutofftheretreatofthecapybara,whichthedogwaslookingforbeneaththewater.

           Herbertwasnotmistaken.Inafewminutestheanimalappearedonthesurfaceofthewater.Topwasuponitinabound,andkeptitfromplungingagain.Aninstantlaterthecapybara,draggedtothebank,waskilledbyablowfromNeb’sstick.

           "Hurrah!"criedPencroft,whowasalwaysreadywiththiscryoftriumph.

           "Givemebutagoodfire,andthispigshallbegnawedtothebones!"

           Pencrofthoistedthecapybaraonhisshoulders,andjudgingbytheheightofthesunthatitwasabouttwoo’clock,hegavethesignaltoreturn.

           Top’sinstinctwasusefultothehunters,who,thankstotheintelligentanimal,wereenabledtodiscovertheroadbywhichtheyhadcome.Halfanhourlatertheyarrivedattheriver.

           Pencroftsoonmadearaftofwood,ashehaddonebefore,thoughiftherewasnofireitwouldbeauselesstask,andtheraftfollowingthecurrent,theyreturnedtowardstheChimneys.