Kitabı oku: «Таинственный остров / The Mysterious Island. Уровень 2», sayfa 5

Chapter V

Pencroff made the real house from the Chimneys. The Chimneys were divided into three or four chambers. They were dry, and they could stand up in them. The floor was covered with sand.

– Perhaps, – said Herbert, – our companions found a better place than ours.

– It is possible, – answered Pencroff, – but don’t stop. We will have two houses!

– Oh, – said Herbert, – will they find Mr. Smith, and bring him back?

– Yes, – murmured Pencroff. – He was a good man.

– Was! – said Herbert. – Do you think we will not see him again?

– Never! – replied the sailor. – But now our friends may return, and they will find a good shelter.

At 6 o’clock, Neb and Gideon Spilett returned. They came back alone. The sailor was right: they did not find the engineer.

The reporter sat upon a rock. He was tired and very hungry. Neb was weeping, he lost all hope.

The reporter told Pencroff and Herbert about their search. Neb and he followed the coast for more than eight miles. The shore was deserted. Not a trace upon the sand, not a footprint. At that moment Neb raised his head, and exclaimed:

– No, he is not dead! It is impossible!

Herbert ran to him and cried:

– Neb, we will find him! But please eat something.

But Neb refused to eat. He did not want to live.

As to Gideon Spilett, hedevoured¹⁵ the mollusks. He was exhausted, but calm. Herbert took his hand.

– Mr. Spilett, – said he, – we discovered a shelter. You will be more comfortable there. So let us rest there. Tomorrow we will see.

The reporter rose, and proceeded towards the Chimneys.

Pencroff took the match and made fire. Was Cyrus still alive? If so, where was he?

In a few minutes the food was ready. The sailor invited the reporter to eat.

Then the reporter retired to a dark corner. Herbert fell asleep at once. The sailor passed the night by the fire. Neb wandered upon the sands. He was calling his master.

Chapter VI

The castaways had only the clothes they wore in the balloon. They did not have any guns, not even a pocket knife. They threw everything overboard to lighten the balloon.

Pencroff wanted to find food. They began to prepare an expedition along the coast. Neb did not believe that Smith was dead. In the morning of the 26th of March, at daybreak, Neb started along the coast northward.

For breakfast that morning they had only eggs and lithodomes, with salt. Herbert found it in the cavities of the rocks. Then the reporter stayed tokeep up the fire¹⁶, and Herbert and Pencroff went into the forest.

– We will hunt, Herbert, – said the sailor.

At 9 o’clock the breeze blew from the southeast. When Herbert and Pencroff reached the forest, Pencroff broke two thick branches. He made them intocudgels¹⁷. The sailor observed the region. On the left bank the surface was flat. Sometimes it was moist and swampy. The opposite bank was more undulating. The hill was covered with trees. The descent was very steep. Both forest and shore looked wild. They saw fresh traces of animals.