LITMIR.BIZ

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like a curtain, a perpendicular granite wall, at least 300 feet high and terminated by a ragged edge. This extended for about three miles.

      Upon the upper level of the coast not a tree was visible. To the right, however, and back of the smooth face of rock, some verdure appeared. Finally, distant towards the northwest about seven miles, shone a white summit. It was the snowy cap of a mountain.

      It was not possible to say whether this land was an island or a part of a continent. Gideon Spilett, Pencroff, and Herbert looked upon this land.

      – Well, – demanded Herbert, – what do you think of it, Pencroff?

      – Well, replied the sailor, – there’s good and bad in it, as with everything else. But we will soon see. In three hours we can reach that shore, and we will see what we can do to find Mr. Smith.

      Pencroff was not wrong in his predictions. Three hours later, at low tide, Spilett and his two companions waded through the water. Herbert, where the water was too deep, swam like a fish; and all arrived without difficulty at the other shore.

      Chapter IV

      The reporter walked along the coast. Herbert wished to go with him.

      – Stay, my boy, – said the sailor. – We must pitch our camp for the night, and try to find something to eat. Our friends will need food when they come back.

      – I am ready, Pencroff, – said Herbert.

      – Good, said the sailor. – We are tired, cold, and hungry: we need shelter, fire, and food. There is plenty of wood in the forest, and we can get eggs from the nests; but we must find a house.

      – Well, – said Herbert, – I will look for a cave in these rocks.

      – Right, said Pencroff. – Let us start at once[20] .

      They walked along the base of the rocky wall. Then they turned to the south. Pencroff noticed a narrow inlet in the coast. Now it was important to pitch the camp in the neighborhood of fresh water; in that part of the island, too, they could find Smith.

      The rock rose 300 feet, smooth and massive. It was a sturdy wall of the hardest granite. About the summit hovered a host of aquatic birds, with long, narrow, pointed beaks.

      Meanwhile Herbert soon noticed some rocks. On them lay hosts of bivalves. Herbert called to Pencroff.

      – Ah, they are mussels, – said the sailor.

      – They are not mussels, – said Herbert, examining the mollusks carefully, – they are lithodomes[21] .

      – Can we eat them? – said Pencroff.

      – Certainly.

      – Then let us eat some lithodomes.

      The sailor could rely on Herbert. Pencroff and Herbert made a good meal of them, they tasted like oysters.

      Their hunger was allayed for the moment. The thing now was to find fresh water. Two hundred feet further on Pencroff and Herbert reached the inlet, through which a little river was flowing.

      – Here is water, – said Pencroff, – and over there is wood. Well, Herbert, now we need the house.

      The river water was clear. Pencroff and Herbert went down between the rocks, into sandy corridors.

      – This is just what we want, – said Pencroff. – These Chimneys will be our house. But first we must get together some firing.

      Herbert and Pencroff left the Chimneys, and walked up the left bank of the river. After a quarter of an hour’s walk, the two reached the elbow which the river made to the left. From this point they saw a forest of magnificent trees.

      – Good, – said the sailor, – I do not know the name of these trees, but I know they will help us to make a fire, and that’s important.

      It was easy to gather the firewood; plenty of dead branches lay at their feet. This dry wood burn rapidly. But how can two men carry such a load to the Chimneys? Herbert asked the question.

      – My boy, – said the sailor, there’s a way to do everything.

      – We have the river, – suggested Herbert.

      – Exactly, said Pencroff. – The river will be our road and our carrier, too.

      They looked at the ocean. The sea was a watery desert. The coast, too, was desolate.

      – Something tells me, – said Herbert, – that Mr. Smith is a very energetic man. So he got to the shore; don’t you think so, Pencroff?

      The sailor shook his head sadly.

      – No doubt, – said he, – our engineer saved himself.

      Pencroff and Herbert walked towards the west, they looked at the snowcapped mountain, which rose six or seven miles away. They saw a forest. Then from the edge of this forest to the coast stretched a plateau.

      – Are we upon an island? – muttered the sailor.

      – It is big enough, – said the boy.

      – An island’s an island, – said Pencroff.

      Chapter V

      Pencroff made the Chimneys habitable. One narrow, winding passage was arranged to carry out the smoke and to quicken the draught of the fire. 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. Herbert and Pencroff chatted together.

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

      – It is possible, – answered the sailor, – but don’t stop. Better have two houses than none at all!

      – Oh, – said Herbert, – if they can only find Mr. Smith, and bring him back with them!

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

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

      – Never! – replied the sailor.

      The work was rapidly accomplished, Pencroff was satisfied.

      – Now, – said he, – our friends may return, and they will find a good shelter.

      It was 5 o’clock when they returned again to the Chimneys. Towards 6 o’clock, Herbert, who was walking upon the shore, announced the return of Neb and of Gideon Spilett. They came back alone. The sailor was right: they could not find the engineer.

      The reporter seated himself upon a rock. He was tired and very hungry, he was unable to utter a word. Neb’s eyes showed that he was weeping and lost all hope.

      The reporter told 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, was upon the shore.

      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; God will give him back to us; but please eat something.

      And the lad offered the poor servant some shell-fish. But Neb refused them. He wished no longer to live.

      As to Gideon Spilett, he devoured the mollusks, and then laid down upon the sand at the foot of a rock. He was exhausted, but calm. Herbert took his hand.

      – Mr. Spilett, – said he, – we have discovered a shelter where you will be more comfortable. The night is coming on; so come and rest there. Tomorrow we will see.

      The reporter rose, and proceeded towards the Chimneys.

      Pencroff took the match and made some fire. Herbert brought two dozen eggs and the reporter watched them. Did Cyrus still live?

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