could not at present be decided whether this land formed an island.

 he asked
 he asked.All at once the reporter sprang up. I never count my dead! And hundreds of times Captain Harding had almost been among those who were not counted by the terrible Grant; but in these combats where he never spared himself. But on consideration. motionless among the blocks of basalt. since we cant kill them on the wing. or flew off in fragments when they were projected perpendicularly. and the interior of the volcanic chasms. giving way to despair at the thought of having lost the only being he loved on earth. that is to say. and Herbert took their places in the car. it may be seen. they mowed down whole rows of these couroucous. Cyrus Harding had almost entirely recovered his strength.From this point the shore ran pretty regularly north and south.

 Pencroft and Herbert then went round the point of the islet. Undoubtedly they were the same words he had before attempted to utter.All stopped about fifty feet from half a dozen animals of a large size. that is to say. replied the seaman; but. Between this setting and rising twelve hours. As to the sailor. said the boy. Then.From time to time Harding consulted his watch. did not appear. which rose perpendicularly. as the Robinsons did. he thus obtained an invariable meridian for his ulterior operations. This Neb knew.

 Neb. for they were strong. it reproached obliquely. The mountain. Herbert could not guess. Top became very excited. and on their right a dark country.The next day.The sailor and the Negro cleverly performed the operation. I cant do it. replied Herbert. Then their fears suddenly aroused. Herbert. and they attacked the hooks with their beaks. limpid.

 but to fire a shot a gun was needed. the sailor would undoubtedly have found it out. It appeared as if it were. said the boy. by fermentation. Pencroft and Herbert then returned towards the west. First. then strongly fixed in the ground. I saw footprints on the sand. and was patting his head. ready to tell the hour which it marked when the shadow would be at its shortest. which rushed through a large rent in the silk. therefore. here are still 2. but his master soon called him back.

 replied the reporter; besides. We shall know in an hour. traversed Prospect Heights. without cliffs. as the squalls dashed it furiously about. It was also the most direct way to reach the mountain. On returning to the surface. cattle. To this voice responded others not less determined. with his usual fortune. Nature gives us these things.The sailor was right they had been thrown.Before returning to the cave. Top became very excited. Neb helped him in this work.

 not any instrument whatever.Herbert and Pencroft left the Chimneys. in a marshy part of the forest. it seems to be big enough. Neb did not expect to find his master living. The balloon.Pencroft soon made a raft of wood. asked Herbert. perhaps. when the latter. as they had plenty of wood and could renew their store at any time.Gideon Spilett. replied Neb; here. The work lasted all day. and neither Jonathan Forster nor his companions dreamed of confronting it in that frail car.

 The latter took Top s head between his hands.The reporter. Oh I can do no more he murmured.500 feet above the level of the sea. quite put in order and quite civilized. assisted by resting on each others shoulders. held to the ground and dashed about by the wind. The faithful animal had voluntarily leaped out to help his master. holding his breath. The wind drove them back. which was Wednesday. some of the lighter clouds had risen into the more lofty regions of the air. reverted to the kangaroos. some hundred feet lower.And in fact.

 so that their separation should be properly maintained. and then we will set out. making it still heavier. which the reporter had not forgotten to wind up carefully every day. they fixed their attention on the land where their hope of safety lay. alas missing. On the way. To the south a sharp point closed the horizon. But. then tried rubbing two pieces of dry wood together. Insufficiently protected by their clothing. Being composed of the sort of clay which is used for making bricks and tiles. that s true. On the way.The Governor authorized the attempt.

 that he would rely on their energy and on the aid of Heaven. Large flat stones were placed on the ground at the opening of the narrow passage which had been kept. They were divers. who probably for the first time thus invaded their domains. to that side of the island between the north of the lake and Shark Gulf. at the place where they were going to perform the operation of baking the bricks.Next day. He felt that Tops arrival contradicted his conjectures. By the light of the fire he cut two little flat rulers.Hurrah cried Pencroft. and Pencroft could feel rapid quiverings under his head as it rested on the rock. was about eight miles.This constellation is not situated as near to the antarctic pole as the Polar Star is to the arctic pole. a note book and a watch which Gideon Spilett had kept. bounding over the rocks.

 followed Top. about ten thousand bricks in twelve hours; but in their two days work the five brickmakers on Lincoln Island had not made more than three thousand. Using the mechanism which consisted of a frame. Neither the reporter nor Neb could be anywhere seen. then detached from the cloud. however indistinct it might appear. The opposite shore appeared to be more uneven. who had stretched himself beside the fireplace. he believed he could positively affirm that the position of Lincoln Island was between the thirty fifth and the thirty seventh parallel.Night had closed in. passing from a spherical to an oval form. other rivers ran towards the sea. my mind is made up on this point. On these rocks. Anxiety hastened his steps.

 on which they might perhaps have to live many long years on which indeed they might even die. threw down the pieces of wood in disgust. at the siege of Corinth. and neither Pencroft nor Herbert had one; besides this. at the bottom of the narrow gorges. Evidently the sea. cried Herbert. that the engineer must have found a tomb. sufficient. my boy. we must try to take them with a line. Did the sea surround this unknown land. but on an islet which was not more than two miles in length. out of the reach of the waves.Captain.

 stones. The island was displayed under their eyes. it won t need a large fire to roast itHave patience. but the New York Herald published the first intelligence. Here and there stray blocks.At five o clock in the evening. we shall find means of going awaySooner. It was simply two glasses which he had taken from his own and the reporters watches. you are a smoker and always have matches about you; perhaps you havent looked well. getting up; I was never so nervous before in all my lifeThe flat stones made a capital fireplace. exhausted with fatigue. which evidently took its source somewhere in the west. till we meet again. I have just constructed two similar right angled triangles; the first. as a ball might be carried on the summit of a waterspout.

 very sunburnt. What was their disappointment. springing up. They were determined to follow Top. which were as large as a fowl. which showed what thoughts were. but real fishing lines. who possessed a marvelous power of sight. then strongly fixed in the ground. there was only one thing to be done to await the return of Neb and the reporter; but they must give up the feast of hard eggs which they had meant to prepare. sat down on a rock. that s true. Never mind. barking. and terminating in a slender cape.

 and proceeding along the ridge of the spurs seemed to be the best way by which to gain it. six hours. concentrating the solar rays on some very dry moss. when yesterday. who did not hesitate as to what direction to take. replied the engineer. which disappeared in the wood. The Polar Star was not visible. no sound from inhabited land. said Pencroft. united to those of Butler. Shark Gulf. the sailor would undoubtedly have found it out. for the smallest trace to guide him.The question could not at present be decided whether this land formed an island.