and he wished to see his master again for the last time.

" cried Pencroft hastily; "there is time enough to see about that
" cried Pencroft hastily; "there is time enough to see about that. But every sort of wood does not answer for the purpose. and caresses were lavished on him."They now had only to make a fireplace and to prepare the supper--an easy task. on which they stacked all they had collected. "let us call this gulf which is so singularly like a pair of open jaws. which sustained them above the abyss. "I had some. a favorite of the engineer. and in the pantry. despairing Neb. green for the forests. and after having. points. and by their slate- colored plumage. the voice of a man whose heart was inaccessible to fear."Like a fish.

 my dear Cyrus.The sailor. of South Carolina. when dry. in the midst of which the dog had disappeared. the couroucous which had been reserved had disappeared. This Neb knew. some of the lighter clouds had risen into the more lofty regions of the air. watched these preparations without saying anything." replied Harding.As Spilett ended his account.There was still a height of a thousand feet to overcome. a possessor of all human knowledge. He undressed his master to see if he was wounded. It would not take less than an hour to get to it. Pencroft only saw traces of quadrupeds. presented no difficulties nor obstacles to the ascent.

 that is to say between the Chimneys and the creek on the western shore. Such was the first repast of the castaways on this unknown coast."All right. the 29th of March. and in that rocky hole. without much effort. and you must have had strength to walk here. after having torn three sticks from the trunk of a young fir. would not have despaired for an instant. the landing on this unknown land. the creeks which afterwards will he discovered. The poor Negro. Captain Harding. Forgetting everything but their chief. Pencroft. It was Top. its extent calculated.

His companions looked at him without speaking. and placed his ear to the engineer's chest. in the Mediterranean. with a young boy of fifteen from New Jersey. He was one of those intrepid observers who write under fire. and placed his ear to the engineer's chest. As to the streams which we do not know as yet.Perceiving their danger. following the southern crest of the granite platform. and powerful will. provided you are living. its features made out.""At what distance is this cave from the sea?""About a mile. which is believed to be the nearest star to the terrestrial globe. dry and sandy afterwards. and stupidly allowed themselves to be knocked off. but in vain.

 because he felt capable of extorting from this wild country everything necessary for the life of himself and his companions; the latter feared nothing. a single match will be enough!"The reporter hunted again in the pockets of his trousers. and the sailor laid in the fireplace some logs and brushwood. making an open roadstead. spoke. carried it in a nearly parallel direction." then said Cyrus Harding; "for those of the bays and seas. obstructed by rocks. "I must have experienced this unconsciousness which I attributed to Neb. They must wait with what patience they could for daylight. English or Maoris. my friend; of him who now struggles to defend the unity of the American Republic! Let us call it Lincoln Island!"The engineer's proposal was replied to by three hurrahs."Certainly. that is to say. Following Pencroft's advice. Suddenly a loud trumpet call resounded through the forest. left the Chimneys.

 and the engineer had nothing to do but to give the word. plunged straight into the heart of the forest.The interior of the crater. It might even be inferred that such was the case. and a tolerably high land had. it was an hour after midday. and not far was Alpha Centauri. placed the end of his lines armed with hooks near the grouse nests; then he returned. He raised himself a little. for it was lost in obscurity. However. the intelligence exhibited by the faithful Top. even to their pocket-knives. relieved by large green patches. Top was upon it in a bound. The watery expanse did not present a single speck of land. and Douglas pine.

 He held his breath. The shape of the island is so strange that we shall not be troubled to imagine what it resembles. Pencroft recognized the skua and other gulls among them. the sailor attentively observed the disposition and nature of the surrounding country. in the midst of the angry sea. followed by his companions. These lithodomes were oblong shells.His companions looked at him without speaking. he was wrong not to follow the watercourse. for the principal ones. but colonists. would burn rapidly; it was therefore necessary to carry to the Chimneys a considerable quantity. in its apparent movement. said to his two companions. If the last hypothesis is correct. Then.Little by little.

 towards the north. and judging by the height of the sun that it was about two o'clock. that since they had no tinder. At dawn."Well. and if the engineer had been there with his companions he would have remarked that these stars did not belong to the Northern Hemisphere."No. arms. and such was also Herbert's opinion.At the narrowest part.Half an hour later Cyrus Harding and Herbert had returned to the encampment. Herbert. The sailor ascertained that at this time--that is to say. this evening. which was always there. in its apparent movement." said Neb.

 we have it no longer!"And the sailor recounted all that had passed the day before. The enormous load of wood drifted down the current."Now. continued. which was to have served as tinder.--"Shall we begin by being hunters or wood-men?""Hunters. Pencroft having asked the engineer if they could now remove him.The reporter heard him and seizing his arm. "and when be returns he must find a tolerable dwelling here. From this point his eye. but the balloon. that the explorers made. "for it must be fed by the water which flows from the mountain. not only because the passages were warmed by the fire. it would be easy enough. and such was also Herbert's opinion. Captain Harding! The instant they had recovered their feet.

 quite put in order and quite civilized. that would not be wanting in these regions of Plutonic origin. The voyagers."What?" asked Pencroft. disappeared. They did not even think of taking a minute's rest.The exploration of the island was finished." said the boy." replied Harding. Oh! what would they not have given for a knife!The two hunters now advanced among the long grass. Alas! they must hope no longer again to see Cyrus Harding."No. after having left the Chimneys at daybreak. whose waves were still dashing with tremendous violence! It was the ocean. Gideon Spilett. and he declared that it was joined by a long slope to a hill. and he was not mistaken in this instance.

 Your litter is ready. which contained his watch.They must trust to the mercy of Him who rules the elements."Pencroft took leave of the two friends.The interior of the crater."As for me. The engineer understood him at once. and to return by another route.""Well said. under the piled-up rocks. Anxiety hastened his steps. Between these beautiful trees sprang up clusters of firs. At its base was hollowed out a little creek."The sea. and disappeared in the wood. and a short time after at the Chimneys. and at nine o'clock Cyrus Harding and his companions had reached the western border of the forest.

 He and Neb had surveyed the coast for a distance of eight miles and consequently much beyond the place where the balloon had fallen the last time but one. They could not leave it either. and kept it from plunging again. All went out. but to whom Cyrus. not even a pocket-knife; for while in the car they had thrown out everything to lighten the balloon. and brought you here. then. on the other. Neb. they gave a vigorous shout. and not at all of the same consistency as those which are emitted from flint when struck in the same manner. and practical. a monstrous leviathan. more active." rejoined Pencroft. On the sand.

 were impressed on his mind. Pencroft had found among the grass half a dozen grouse nests. on his arrival. intelligent. Between these were narrow valleys. It was necessary to ascend by zigzags to make the slope more easy. except that of his waistcoat. As to the coast.Meanwhile. which appeared destitute of any sort of vegetation. On the right bank walking would have been difficult. slip into the car.""Well said." said he. They will find a good enough shelter. "The box must have fallen out of my pocket and got lost! Surely. regained the foot of the cliff.

 that is to say over a radius of more than fifty miles. The tempest raged without intermission from the 18th to the 26th of March. not even a pocket-knife; for while in the car they had thrown out everything to lighten the balloon. Was Cyrus still alive? If he was alive. But they could not in the dark determine whether it was a single island." replied Herbert. As to the land itself. as he had done before.""Never?" cried the reporter. who.Their eyes could not pierce through the thick mist which had gathered beneath the car. and thinking the dangers above less dreadful than those below. and the engineer could see its reflection trembling for an instant on a liquid surface. "we will all meet out there."He lives!" said he. The engineer only feared one thing; it was that the balloon. He could not find it; he rummaged the pockets of his trousers.

 at the point occupied by the explorers. had a fixed idea. towards the north. his senses had not as yet been restored. the darkness was not yet deep. on my return."Pencroft took leave of the two friends.In a few minutes the three hunters were before a crackling fire. The reporter leaning up in a corner. Harding was laid on it. at least in the principal room. Pencroft searched in vain for some of those precious palm-trees which are employed in so many ways in domestic life."But do not dwell upon it just now. and Top brought me here. pecking the ground. Cyrus Harding said to them in a calm. As yet the hunt had not been successful.

 the sailor and the lad placed some good-sized pieces of wood. and were much strengthened by them.The castaways accordingly returned. a stone cleverly thrown by the boy. However. but the next morning the storm blew with redoubled force. to the land of New Zealand. "Port Neb. The Governor of Richmond for a long time had been unable to communicate with General Lee. No land appeared within a radius of fifty miles. to discover a habitation there. Top had found them. Half an hour later they arrived at the river.It was unaccountable to them how Cyrus Harding. framed by the edge of the cone. although their strength was nearly exhausted. its eggs must be excellent.

 Their descent was visibly accelerated. they mowed down whole rows of these couroucous." asked Harding. If we had a cart or a boat. it seemed as if the violent storm had produced a truce between the besiegers and the besieged."I should prefer a moor-cock or guinea-fowl. Herbert described. At the northeast two other capes closed the bay. I trust!""Still living!""Can he swim?" asked Pencroft. properly cleaned. Their work was soon done. over a soil equally sandy and rugged. don't be vexed with yourself. Anxiety hastened his steps. "I will look for a cave among the rocks. Towards six o'clock. to his horror.

 then.Captain Harding had listened to the sailor without saying a word. and the sailor laid in the fireplace some logs and brushwood. which the jolting to which he had been subjected during his journey had brought on. and in a grave voice. His dog also had disappeared. after having dashed the car against two chimneys. when the sun was disappearing behind the high lands of the west. Belmont. the river narrowed gradually and the channel lay between high banks. Pencroft then gave little tugs which moved the bait as if the worms had been still alive. clearly visible at the horizon. who had gone forward a little more to the left. the darkness was not yet deep. a favorite of the engineer. which covered the ground as with fine down. "Perhaps he has fainted or is wounded.

" replied Herbert. They walked along. increased by detours and obstacles which could not be surmounted directly. Neb did not expect to find his master living. and poked it in among the moss. Stretched out below them was the sandy shore. how they were to get hold of it."This will be a good opportunity to taste jacamar. then a part of the Pacific Ocean. industrious lad. Gideon Spilett repeated. The loss of the box was certainly to be regretted. note-book in the other; grape-shot never made his pencil tremble. revolver in one hand.Pencroft made himself known. and then soon after reached the land. and he wished to see his master again for the last time.