《The Mysterious Island 神秘岛》Book 2 Chapter 5（在线收听）

Cyrus Harding and his companions slept like innocent marmots in the cave which the jaguar had so politely left at their disposal.

At sunrise all were on the shore at the extremity of the promontory, and their gaze was directed towards the horizon, of which two-thirds of the circumference were visible. For the last time the engineer could ascertain that not a sail nor the wreck of a ship was on the sea, and even with the telescope nothing suspicious could be discovered.

There was nothing either on the shore, at least, in the straight line of three miles which formed the south side of the promontory, for beyond that, rising ground had the rest of the coast, and even from the extremity of the Serpentine Peninsula Claw Cape could not be seen.

The southern coast of the island still remained to be explored. Now should they undertake it immediately, and devote this day to it?

This was not included in their first plan. In fact, when the boat was abandoned at the sources of the Mercy, it had been agreed that after having surveyed the west coast, they should go back to it, and return to Granite House by the Mercy. Harding then thought that the western coast would have offered refuge, either to a ship in distress, or to a vessel in her regular course; but now, as he saw that this coast presented no good anchorage, he wished to seek on the south what they had not been able to find on the west.

Gideon Spilett proposed to continue the exploration, that the question of the supposed wreck might be completely settled, and he asked at what distance Claw Cape might be from the extremity of the peninsula.

"About thirty miles," replied the engineer, "if we take into consideration the curvings of the coast."

"Thirty miles!" returned Spilett. "That would be a long day's march. Nevertheless, I think that we should return to Granite House by the south coast."

"But," observed Herbert, "from Claw Cape to Granite House there must be at least another ten miles.

"Make it forty miles in all," replied the engineer, "and do not hesitate to do it. At least we should survey the unknown shore, and then we shall not have to begin the exploration again."

"Very good," said Pencroft. "But the boat?"

"The boat has remained by itself for one day at the sources of the Mercy," replied Gideon Spilett; "it may just as well stay there two days! As yet, we have had no reason to think that the island is infested by thieves!"

"Yet," said the sailor, "when I remember the history of the turtle, I am far from confident of that."

"The turtle! the turtle!" replied the reporter. "Don't you know that the sea turned it over?"

"Who knows?" murmured the engineer.

"But,--" said Neb.

Neb had evidently something to say, for he opened his mouth to speak and yet said nothing.

"What do you want to say, Neb?" asked the engineer.

"If we return by the shore to Claw Cape," replied Neb, "after having doubled the Cape, we shall be stopped--"

"By the Mercy! of course," replied Herbert, "and we shall have neither bridge nor boat by which to cross."

"But, captain," added Pencroft, "with a few floating trunks we shall have no difficulty in crossing the river."

"Never mind," said Spilett, "it will be useful to construct a bridge if we wish to have an easy access to the Far West!"

"A bridge!" cried Pencroft. "Well, is not the captain the best engineer in his profession? He will make us a bridge when we want one. As to transporting you this evening to the other side of the Mercy, and that without wetting one thread of your clothes, I will take care of that. We have provisions for another day, and besides we can get plenty of game. Forward!"

The reporter's proposal, so strongly seconded by the sailor, received general approbation, for each wished to have their doubts set at rest, and by returning by Claw Cape the exploration would he ended. But there was not an hour to lose, for forty miles was a long march, and they could not hope to reach Granite House before night.

At six o'clock in the morning the little band set out. As a precaution the guns were loaded with ball, and Top, who led the van, received orders to beat about the edge of the forest.

From the extremity of the promontory which formed the tail of the peninsula the coast was rounded for a distance of five miles, which was rapidly passed over, without even the most minute investigations bringing to light the least trace of any old or recent landings; no debris, no mark of an encampment, no cinders of a fire, nor even a footprint!

From the point of the peninsula on which the settlers now were their gaze could extend along the southwest. Twenty-five miles off the coast terminated in the Claw Cape, which loomed dimly through the morning mists, and which, by the phenomenon of the mirage, appeared as if suspended between land and water.

Between the place occupied by the colonists and the other side of the immense bay, the shore was composed, first, of a tract of low land, bordered in the background by trees; then the shore became more irregular, projecting sharp points into the sea, and finally ended in the black rocks which, accumulated in picturesque disorder, formed Claw Cape.

Such was the development of this part of the island, which the settlers took in at a glance, while stopping for an instant.

"If a vessel ran in here," said Pencroft, "she would certainly be lost. Sandbanks and reefs everywhere! Bad quarters!"

"But at least something would be left of the ship," observed the reporter.

"There might be pieces of wood on the rocks, but nothing on the sands," replied the sailor.

"Why?"

"Because the sands are still more dangerous than the rocks, for they swallow up everything that is thrown on them. In a few days the hull of a ship of several hundred tons would disappear entirely in there!"

"So, Pencroft," asked the engineer, "if a ship has been wrecked on these banks, is it not astonishing that there is now no trace of her remaining?"

"No, captain, with the aid of time and tempest. However, it would be surprising, even in this case, that some of the masts or spars should not have been thrown on the beach, out of reach of the waves."

"Let us go on with our search, then," returned Cyrus Harding.

At one o'clock the colonists arrived at the other side of Washington Bay, they having now gone a distance of twenty miles.

They then halted for breakfast.

Here began the irregular coast, covered with lines of rocks and sandbanks. The long sea-swell could be seen breaking over the rocks in the bay, forming a foamy fringe. From this point to Claw Cape the beach was very narrow between the edge of the forest and the reefs.

Walking was now more difficult, on account of the numerous rocks which encumbered the beach. The granite cliff also gradually increased in height, and only the green tops of the trees which crowned it could be seen.

After half an hour's rest, the settlers resumed their journey, and not a spot among the rocks was left unexamined. Pencroft and Neb even rushed into the surf whenever any object attracted their attention. But they found nothing, some curious formations of the rocks having deceived them. They ascertained, however, that eatable shellfish abounded there, but these could not be of any great advantage to them until some easy means of communication had been established between the two banks of the Mercy, and until the means of transport had been perfected.

Nothing therefore which threw any light on the supposed wreck could be found on this shore, yet an object of any importance, such as the hull of a ship, would have been seen directly, or any of her masts and spans would have been washed on shore, just as the chest had been, which was found twenty miles from here. But there was nothing.

Towards three o'clock Harding and his companions arrived at a snug little creek. It formed quite a natural harbor, invisible from the sea, and was entered by a narrow channel.

At the back of this creek some violent convulsion had torn up the rocky border, and a cutting, by a gentle slope, gave access to an upper plateau, which might be situated at least ten miles from Claw Cape, and consequently four miles in a straight line from Prospect Heights. Gideon Spilett proposed to his companions that they should make a halt here. They agreed readily, for their walk had sharpened their appetites; and although it was not their usual dinner-hour, no one refused to strengthen himself with a piece of venison. This luncheon would sustain them until their supper, which they intended to take at Granite House. In a few minutes the settlers, seated under a clump of fine sea-pines, were devouring the provisions which Neb produced from his bag.

This spot was raised from fifty to sixty feet above the level of the sea. The view was very extensive, but beyond the cape it ended in Union Bay. Neither the islet nor Prospect Heights was visible, and could not be from thence, for the rising ground and the curtain of trees closed the northern horizon.

It is useless to add that notwithstanding the wide extent of sea which the explorers could survey, and though the engineer swept the horizon with his glass, no vessel could be found.

The shore was of course examined with the same care from the edge of the water to the cliff, and nothing could be discovered even with the aid of the instrument.

"Well," said Gideon Spilett, "it seems we must make up our minds to console ourselves with thinking that no one will come to dispute with us the possession of Lincoln Island!"

"But the bullet," cried Herbert. "That was not imaginary, I suppose!"

"Hang it, no!" exclaimed Pencroft, thinking of his absent tooth.

"Then what conclusion may be drawn?" asked the reporter.

"This," replied the engineer, "that three months or more ago, a vessel, either voluntarily or not, came here."

"What! then you admit, Cyrus, that she was swallowed up without leaving any trace?" cried the reporter.

"No, my dear Spilett; but you see that if it is certain that a human being set foot on the island, it appears no less certain that he has now left it."

"Then, if I understand you right, captain," said Herbert, "the vessel has left again?"

"Evidently."

"And we have lost an opportunity to get back to our country?" said Neb.

"I fear so."

"Very well, since the opportunity is lost, let us go on; it can't be helped," said Pencroft, who felt home-sickness for Granite House.

But just as they were rising, Top was heard loudly barking; and the dog issued from the wood, holding in his mouth a rag soiled with mud.

Neb seized it. It was a piece of strong cloth!

Top still barked, and by his going and coming, seemed to invite his master to follow him into the forest.

"Now there's something to explain the bullet!" exclaimed Pencroft.

"A castaway!" replied Herbert.

"Wounded, perhaps!" said Neb.

"Or dead!" added the reporter.

All ran after the dog, among the tall pines on the border of the forest. Harding and his companions made ready their firearms, in case of an emergency.

They advanced some way into the wood, but to their great disappointment, they as yet saw no signs of any human being having passed that way. Shrubs and creepers were uninjured, and they had even to cut them away with the axe, as they had done in the deepest recesses of the forest. It was difficult to fancy that any human creature had ever passed there, but yet Top went backward and forward, not like a dog who searches at random, but like a dog being endowed with a mind, who is following up an idea.

In about seven or eight minutes Top stopped in a glade surrounded with tall trees. The settlers gazed around them, but saw nothing, neither under the bushes nor among the trees.

"What is the matter, Top?" said Cyrus Harding.

Top barked louder, bounding about at the foot of a gigantic pine. All at once Pencroft shouted,--"Ho, splendid! capital!"

"What is it?" asked Spilett.

"We have been looking for a wreck at sea or on land!"

"Well?"

"Well; and here we've found one in the air!"

And the sailor pointed to a great white rag, caught in the top of the pine, a fallen scrap of which the dog had brought to them.

"But that is not a wreck!" cried Gideon Spilett.

"I beg your pardon!" returned Pencroft.

"Why? is it--?"

"It is all that remains of our airy boat, of our balloon, which has been caught up aloft there, at the top of that tree!"

Pencroft was not mistaken, and he gave vent to his feelings in a tremendous hurrah, adding,--

"There is good cloth! There is what will furnish us with linen for years. There is what will make us handkerchiefs and shirts! Ha, ha, Mr. Spilett, what do you say to an island where shirts grow on the trees?"

It was certainly a lucky circumstance for the settlers in Lincoln Island that the balloon, after having made its last bound into the air, had fallen on the island and thus given them the opportunity of finding it again, whether they kept the case under its present form, or whether they wished to attempt another escape by it, or whether they usefully employed the several hundred yards of cotton, which was of fine quality. Pencroft's joy was therefore shared by all.

But it was necessary to bring down the remains of the balloon from the tree, to place it in security, and this was no slight task. Neb, Herbert, and the sailor, climbing to the summit of the tree, used all their skill to disengage the now reduced balloon.

The operation lasted two hours, and then not only the case, with its valve, its springs, its brasswork, lay on the ground, but the net, that is to say a considerable quantity of ropes and cordage, and the circle and the anchor. The case, except for the fracture, was in good condition, only the lower portion being torn.

It was a fortune which had fallen from the sky.

"All the same, captain," said the sailor, "if we ever decide to leave the island, it won't be in a balloon, will it? These airboats won't go where we want them to go, and we have had some experience in that way! Look here, we will build a craft of some twenty tons, and then we can make a main-sail, a foresail, and a jib out of that cloth. As to the rest of it, that will help to dress us."

"We shall see, Pencroft," replied Cyrus Harding; "we shall see."

"In the meantime, we must put it in a safe place," said Neb.

They certainly could not think of carrying this load of cloth, ropes, and cordage, to Granite House, for the weight of it was very considerable, and while waiting for a suitable vehicle in which to convey it, it was of importance that this treasure should not be left longer exposed to the mercies of the first storm. The settlers, uniting their efforts, managed to drag it as far as the shore, where they discovered a large rocky cavity, which owing to its position could not be visited either by the wind or rain.

"We needed a locker, and now we have one," said Pencroft; "but as we cannot lock it up, it will be prudent to hide the opening. I don't mean from two-legged thieves, but from those with four paws!"

At six o'clock, all was stowed away, and after having given the creek the very suitable name of "Port Balloon," the settlers pursued their way along Claw Cape. Pencroft and the engineer talked of the different projects which it was agreed to put into execution with the briefest possible delay. It was necessary first of all to throw a bridge over the Mercy, so as to establish an easy communication with the south of the island; then the cart must be taken to bring back the balloon, for the canoe alone could not carry it, then they would build a decked boat, and Pencroft would rig it as a cutter, and they would be able to undertake voyages of circumnavigation round the island, etc.

In the meanwhile night came on, and it was already dark when the settlers reached Flotsam Point, where they had found the precious chest.

The distance between Flotsam Point and Granite House was another four miles, and it was midnight when, after having followed the shore to the mouth of the Mercy, the settlers arrived at the first angle formed by the Mercy.

There the river was eighty feet in breadth, which was awkward to cross, but as Pencroft had taken upon himself to conquer this difficulty, he was compelled to do it. The settlers certainly had reason to be pretty tired. The journey had been long, and the task of getting down the balloon had not rested either their arms or legs. They were anxious to reach Granite House to eat and sleep, and if the bridge had been constructed, in a quarter of an hour they would have been at home.

The night was very dark. Pencroft prepared to keep his promise by constructing a sort of raft, on which to make the passage of the Mercy. He and Neb, armed with axes, chose two trees near the water, and began to attack them at the base.

Cyrus Harding and Spilett, seated on the bank, waited till their companions were ready for their help, while Herbert roamed about, though without going to any distance. All at once, the lad, who had strolled by the river, came running back, and, pointing up the Mercy, exclaimed,--

"What is floating there?"

Pencroft stopped working, and seeing an indistinct object moving through the gloom,--

"A canoe!" cried he.

All approached, and saw to their extreme surprise, a boat floating down the current.

"Boat ahoy!" shouted the sailor, without thinking that perhaps it would be best to keep silence.

No reply. The boat still drifted onward, and it was not more than twelve feet off, when the sailor exclaimed,--

"But it is our own boat! she has broken her moorings, and floated down the current. I must say she has arrived very opportunely."

"Our boat?" murmured the engineer.

Pencroft was right. It was indeed the canoe, of which the rope had undoubtedly broken, and which had come alone from the sources of the Mercy. It was very important to seize it before the rapid current should have swept it away out of the mouth of the river, but Neb and Pencroft cleverly managed this by means of a long pole.

The canoe touched the shore. The engineer leaped in first, and found, on examining the rope, that it had been really worn through by rubbing against the rocks.

"Well," said the reporter to him, in a low voice, "this is a strange thing."

"Strange indeed!" returned Cyrus Harding.

Strange or not, it was very fortunate. Herbert, the reporter, Neb, and Pencroft, embarked in turn. There was no doubt about the rope having been worn through, but the astonishing part of the affair was, that the boat should arrive just at the moment when the settlers were there to seize it on its way, for a quarter of an hour earlier or later it would have been lost in the sea.

If they had been living in the time of genii, this incident would have given them the right to think that the island was haunted by some supernatural being, who used his power in the service of the castaways!

A few strokes of the oar brought the settlers to the mouth of the Mercy. The canoe was hauled up on the beach near the Chimneys, and all proceeded towards the ladder of Granite House.

But at that moment, Top barked angrily, and Neb, who was looking for the first steps, uttered a cry.

There was no longer a ladder!

赛勒斯·史密斯和他的伙伴们在美洲豹礼让给他们的山洞里，象土拨鼠似的睡了一夜。

日出的时候，他们都来到了海角尽头的海岸上，仔细观察着海面；这里能看到周围三分之二的水平线。工程师最后一次断定了海上既没有一只航行的船，也没有一只难船的残骸，甚至用望远镜也看不见任何可疑的东西。

岸上也是这样，至少在形成海角南边三英里长的一条直线上什么也没有，因为海岸的其他部分被隆起的高地遮住了，而且即使在盘蛇半岛的尽头，也看不见爪角。

荒岛的南岸还没有视察过。他们要不要马上就出发，是不是到那里去花上11月2日整天的时间呢？

这一点他们最初并没有计划在内。当他们在慈悲河发源的地方弃舟登岸的时候，只是决定在西岸观察一下，然后到船上来，从慈悲河回“花岗石宫”去。当时史密斯认为西岸是能住人的，不论是遇难的船，还是在正常航行中的船只都可能在这里停泊。可是他现在发现这里并没有适合抛锚的地方，因此他打算到南边去，在那里也许可以找到他们在西边所没有发现的东西。

吉丁·史佩莱建议继续探索，以便完全解决这个假定的遇险问题，他问爪角离半岛尽头大概有多远。

“假如把海岸的曲折计算在内的话，”工程师答道，“大概有三十英里。”

“三十英里！”史佩莱说。“这可得走一些天呢。不过，我想我们可以从南部海滨回‘花岗石宫’去。”

“可是，”赫伯特说，“从爪角到‘花岗石宫’至少还有十英里。”

“一共算它四十英里吧，”通讯记者说，“别害怕。我们对于陌生的海岸总得视察一下，这样以后就不需要重新探索了。”

“很好，”潘克洛夫说。“可是平底船呢？”

“船已经留在慈悲河的发源地一天了，”吉丁·史佩莱答道，“留两天也不要紧！到目前为止，我们还没有理由认为岛上有贼！”

“可是，”水手说，“我一想起海龟的事情来，就没法相信这一点了。”

“海龟！海龟！”通讯记者说。“你还不相信是海水把它翻过来的吗？”

“谁知道呢。”工程师喃喃地说。

“可是……”纳布说。

纳布显然有话要说，然而他张开了嘴，却没有说下去。

“你想说什么，纳布。”工程师问道。

“假如我们沿着海岸回爪角去，”纳布回答说。“绕过爪角，我们的去路就要被拦住……”

“被慈悲河拦住了！当然罗，”赫伯特接着说，“我们既没有桥又没有船可以渡河。”

“可是，史密斯先生，”潘克洛夫补充道，“只要有几根树干，我们就可以毫不困难地渡过河去的。”

“不要紧，”史佩莱说，“假如我们打算找一条近路到远西森林去的话，我们就有必要搭一座桥！”

“一座桥！”潘克洛夫喊道。“对啦，史密斯先生不是最好的工程师吗？必要的时候他可以给我们搭桥的。至于大家在今天晚上要到慈悲河的对岸去，这个我可以负责，保证让你们身上一滴水也不沾。我们还有一天的粮食，而且我们还可以打到大量的野味。走吧！”

通讯记者的建议在水手的热烈支持下，得到了大家的一致赞同，事实上人人都希望解决疑团，从爪角回去就可以完成探险任务。可是现在连一个钟头也不容浪费了，因为四十英里是一段漫长的路程，他们不到天黑休想回到“花岗石宫”。

早上六点钟，小队出发了。为了谨慎起见，枪里都装上了子弹，托普被派在森林的边缘搜索，大家跟在它后面前进。

半岛的尾端形成一个海角，从海角的尽头算起，海岸的周围长达五英里。这一段海岸很快就搜查完毕了，甚至经过最仔细的检查也没有发现任何过去或现在有人登陆的痕迹：没有残存的东西，没有扎营的迹象，没有燃烧的灰烬，连一个脚印也没有！

居民们到达了海角，弧形地带就到这里为止，以后就拐向东北，形成华盛顿湾。从这里可以看到整个的南部海滨，它的尽头就是二十五英里以外的爪角。透过清晨的薄雾，可以隐约看见爪角的轮廓。由于人们的错觉，它好象是悬挂在陆地和海洋之间的。

从他们所站的地方到对面的巨大港湾之间，海岸一共可以分成三个部分，眼前一带地势平坦，背景是一片森林；往前看，海岸比较曲折，许多尖角突出在海面上；最后直到爪角是一片黑色的岩石，它们堆成一片零乱的图案。

这就是荒岛上这一部分的形势，他们停留了片刻，大概地看了一下。

“假如有船到这儿来，”潘克洛夫说，“那它非沉不可。到处是沙洲和暗礁！这个地方太险了！”

“要是船沉了，总会遗留下一些东西的。”通讯记者说。

“石头上也许会有木片，可是沙滩上却不会有。”水手说。

“为什么？”

“因为沙滩比石头还要危险，不管什么东西掉在上面，都会陷下去的。上百吨的大船只要几天，就会连船身都不见了！”

“那么，潘克洛夫，”工程师问道，“假如有船在这儿遇了险，现在找不着它的遗迹，不是就没有什么奇怪了吗！”

“不错，史密斯先生，加上时间和风暴的原因，这是不足为奇的。可是，即使在这种情况之下，居然没有一点桅杆和圆木被抛到波浪达不到的海岸上来，这还是本能想象的。”

“那么，我们继续寻找吧。”赛勒斯·史密斯说。

他们走了二十英里的路程，到达了华盛顿湾的另一边，这时已经是下午一点钟了。

于是他们停下来吃饭。

海岸从这里开始曲折起来，布满了岩石和沙洲。波涛久久地冲击着海湾中的岩石，形成一道水花四溅的边缘。从这个海角直到爪角，森林和礁石之间的海岸非常狭窄。

由于海滩上有许多岩石，现在走路更加困难了。愈往前，花岗石的峭壁愈高，只看得见它的顶端有绿色的树梢。

休息了半个钟头之后，他们又继续赶路了，岩石之间到处都要检查一番。潘克洛夫和纳布只要发现一样东西，甚至在海浪里也要冲过去看一看。可是他们什么也没有发现，只是一些奇形怪状的石头迷惑了他们。有一点他们倒是肯定了，就是附近盛产可以食用的蛤蜊，可是现在慈悲河两岸之间来往还很不方便，运输困难，这个发现对他们并没有多大价值。

在海岸上，他们没有发现任何东西可以帮助他们解释明白这个假定的遇险。虽然任何一件值得注意的东西（例如难船的残骸）都逃不出他们的眼睛，任何一根桅杆和圆木都和二十英里以外的那只箱子一样，可能被冲上岸来，可是什么都没有发现。

将近三点钟的时候，史密斯和他的伙伴们来到了一条畅流的小溪边。小溪形成一个天然的港口，这个港口在海里是看不见的，只有通过一条狭长的海峡，才能进来。

在小溪的背后，剧烈的地震把岩石的边地分裂开来了，从一个破口往上去，可以经过一个角度很小的斜坡来到一块高地上，这块高地离爪角至少十英里，因此，它和眺望岗的直线距离也就是四英里。吉丁·史佩莱向伙伴们建议在这儿休息一下。大家马上同意了，因为经过一番跋涉以后，他们都觉得很饿，虽然还不到平时吃饭的时候，可是谁也不反对吃一点儿野味来充饥。这一顿饭可以使他们一直维持到吃晚饭的时候，而晚饭他们是打算回到“花岗石宫”以后再吃的。几分钟以后，大家坐在一丛美丽的海松下面，纳布从口袋里拿出食品，他们就狼吞虎咽地吃起来了。

这个地方高出海面五六十英尺。周围的视野很广，可是在海角以外，只能看到联合湾。由于隆起的地面和森林形成一道屏障，遮住了北边的地平线，因此在这里就看不见，也不可能看见小岛和眺望岗了。

不用说，虽然他们可以看到很大的一片海洋，虽然工程师用望远镜扫视了水平线，结果还是找不到船只的踪迹。

自然，海岸上从水边到峭壁都同样仔仔细细地查看过了，即使用仪器也检查不出任何东西来。

“好吧，”吉丁·史佩莱说，“看样子我们可以放心了，大概不会有人来和我们争夺林肯岛了！”

“可是那颗枪弹，”赫伯特大声说，“那不是凭空想象出来的吧！”

“该死，不是的！”潘克洛夫喊道，他又想起他的缺牙来。

“那么该怎么下结论呢？”通讯记者问道。

“那就是，”工程师回答说，“三个月以前，或者更早一些，不管有意无意，是有一只船上这儿来过的！”

“什么！赛勒斯，那么你认为它是一点痕迹也不留地陷到沙滩里去了吗？”通讯记者叫道。

“不，亲爱的史佩莱！你想，我们既然可以肯定有人到岛上来过，同样也可以肯定他现在已经离开这儿了。”

“那么，假如我没有误会的话，史密斯先生，”赫伯特说，“你是说船又走了吗？”

“当然。”

“我们错过了一个回国的机会了吗？”纳布问道。

“恐怕是的。”

“很好，既然已经失去了机会，我们就继续赶路吧；这也没有法子。”潘克洛夫说，他不禁怀念起“花岗石宫”这个老家来。

他们正打算起身，突然听见托普大叫，它从森林里跑出来，嘴里衔着一块满是泥污的破布。

纳布一把抢过来。这是一块很结实的布！

托普还在叫，它来回乱跑，好象要喊它的主人跟它到森林里去似的。

“现在可以猜破枪弹的哑谜了！”潘克洛夫大声说。

“这儿有遇险的人！”赫伯特说。

“也许受了伤！”纳布说。

“也许死了！”通讯记者作了补充。

他们都在森林边缘的大松树底下跟着狗跑。史密斯和他的伙伴们都准备好了火器，以防万一。

他们在森林里走了一程，还是没有发现有人从这里经过的痕迹，不禁有些失望。灌木和爬藤都没有遭到损坏，他们甚至象在密林里一样，需要用斧头去砍它们。很难想象这里曾经有人走过，可是托普还是来回乱跑，看起来这只狗不象是在随意找什么，而象一个有头脑的人在追索一件心事。

七八分钟以后，托普在许多株大树之间的空地上停住了，他们看看周围，可是灌木丛下和大树之间都没有什么。

“怎么了，托普？”赛勒斯·史密斯说。

托普叫得更响了，在一棵高大的松树下跳跃着。突然潘克洛夫喊道：

“啊，好！太好了！”

“什么？”史佩莱问道。

“我们到海里和陆地上去找遇难的船！”

“怎么？”

“怎么，现在却在空中找到了！”

水手指着勾在一棵松树顶上的一大块白布，托普衔给他们的就是上面掉下来的一小片。

“这也不是破船呀！”吉丁·史佩莱大声说。

“对不起！”潘克洛夫答道。

“怎么？是……？”

“这就是我们的飞船，我们的气球遗留下来的全部东西，全在上头呢，在那棵树顶上！”

潘克洛夫没有错，他高兴得大叫起来：

“这些布很好！这些布够我们用好几年呢。我们可以用它做手帕和衬衫！哈哈，史佩莱先生，这个荒岛的树上能结衬衫，你说怎么样？”

气球在最后一次的空中飞行以后，居然落在岛上，使他们失而复得，这对林肯岛上的这群居民来说，不管他们是打算就这样把它留起来，还是用它回到故土，或者是打算很好地去了布上的漆，利用这几百码上等棉布，都是一件莫大的喜享。因此人人都和潘克洛夫一样高兴。

现在，首先必须把这个残缺不全的气球从树上取下来，好好地保存着，这可不是一件简单的事情。纳布、赫伯特和水手爬到树上去，想办法去解这个瘪了气的气球。

他们工作了两个钟头以后，不但把带有活门、弹簧和黄铜零件的气囊拿到地上来，而且网子（也就是大量绳索）、套环和吊绳也都取下来了。气囊除了一小部分——只是下部扯坏了——以外，其他完好无缺。

这真是喜从天降。

“一样的，史密斯先生，”水手说，“即使我们决定离开这个岛，我们也不会乘气球，是不是？这种飞船不会听我们摆布，爱上哪儿就上哪儿去的，我们在这方面已经有相当的经验了！你瞧，我们可以造一只二十来吨重的船，用那些布做一面主帆，一面前帆和一面三角帆。剩下来的布就用它做衣服穿。”

“再说吧，潘克洛夫，”赛勒斯·史密斯说，“再说吧。”

“在没处理以前，一定要把它放在一个安全的地方。”纳布说。

当然，目前他们是没法把这些布和绳索搬回“花岗石宫”去的，因为分量相当重，需要找一辆适当的车子才能搬运，在搬运以前，不能把这些宝贝留在露天的地方，听凭雨打风吹。在共同努力之下，他们把它一直拖到岸边，那里有一个石头洞，根据它的位置，这里是不会有风雨侵入的。

“我们需要过一个柜子，现在有了，”潘克洛夫说，“可是我们没法上锁；为了谨慎起见，还是把洞口堵起来吧。我倒不是怕两条腿的贼来偷，我担心的是那些四只脚的野兽！”

六点钟的时候，一切都收拾停当了，他们给小溪起了一个恰当的名字叫气球港，然后就沿着爪角继续前进了。潘克洛夫和工程师讨论了许多计划，他们一致主张不要耽搁，尽快地去实现这些计划，首先必须在慈悲河上架一座桥，以便和荒岛的南部联络，然后拉着大车来，把气球运回去，单靠平底船是没法把它装回去的；再下一步他们就可以造一只带甲板的船，潘克洛夫打算造一艘单桅快船，他们可以用来环航全岛，以及做其他用途。

这时候黑夜降临了，当他们走到发现宝箱的遗物角时，天色已经昏黑。在这里，和在别处一样，还是找不到一点难船的痕迹，再一次证实了史密斯以前所下的结论。

遗物角离“花岗石宫”还有四英里，他们沿着海岸来到慈悲河口，抵达慈悲河第一个拐角的时候，已经是午夜了。

这里的河面有八十英尺宽，要想渡河是很困难的，可是潘克洛夫事先已经提出保证要克服这个困难，因此他只好硬着头皮去想办法。这一行人已经疲惫不堪了。他们走了很长的一段路，而且在取下气球时又费尽了手脚。他们恨不得马上就回到“花岗石官”里去，饱餐一顿，然后睡觉，假如河上有桥的话，只要一刻钟，他们就可以到家了。

夜色非常黑暗。潘克洛夫打算实践自己的诺言，制造一个木筏以便渡过慈悲河。他和纳布各自拿着利斧，在河边选了两棵树，齐根砍伐起来。

赛勒斯·史密斯和史佩莱坐在岸边，准备去帮助伙伴们，赫伯特在附近徘徊。少年走到河边以后，突然跑回来指着慈悲河喊道：

“什么东西在那儿漂？”

潘克洛夫停止了工作，在黑暗中隐隐约约看见有一个东西在移动。

“一只平底船！”他喊道。

大家都跑上前去，果然有一只小船顺流而下，他们不禁大吃一惊。

“来船注意！”水手喊道，他也不考虑一下，是不是不作声更好些。

没有回答，小船继续向前漂来；离他们至多不过十二英尺的时候，水手突然喊道：

“是我们的船呀！它的绳子断了，所以才顺水漂流下来的。来得正好。”

“我们的船？”工程师喃喃地说。

潘克洛夫没有看错。正是他们的平底船，船上的绳索肯定是断了，它是从慈悲河的上游一直漂来的。现在必须把它截住，否则急流就要把它冲出河口去了，纳布和潘克洛夫用长竿巧妙地把它搭住了。

平底船靠岸了。工程师首先跳了进去，经过检查以后，发现绳子果然是在岩石上磨断的。

“哼，”通讯记者轻轻地对他说，“这真是怪事。”

“的确奇怪！”赛勒斯·史密斯答道。

不管奇怪不奇怪，他们是幸运的。赫伯特、通讯记者、纳布和潘克洛夫都陆续上了船。绳子是磨断的已经没有疑问，奇怪的是：这只船竟不前不后在这时候被他们半路截住，早一刻钟或是晚一刻钟，它就要漂流到大海里去了。

他们生活的时代已经不是神话时代了，要不然，他们一定会认为荒岛上有什么神仙在暗中保佑他们呢！

他们划了几桨，就到了慈悲河口。平底船停在“石窟”附近的海面，大家都往“花岗石宫”的软梯跑去

可是这时候托普突然愤怒地狂叫起来，纳布正在找梯子，也突然喊了一声。

梯子不见了！