the castaways upon this unknown coast. The eggs were excellent.
Thus passed the 25th of March. 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. We must add Spilett’s watch and note-book; but there were no firearms and no tools, not even a pocket knife. They threw everything overboard to lighten the balloon. The castaways relied on their own hands.
It seemed to Pencroff better to wait a few days before an exploration. They must try to find food. It was decided then to wait a few days at the Chimneys, and to prepare for an expedition either along the coast or into the interior of the country.
Neb did not believe that Smith was dead. Upon 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. When the meal was over they divided forces. The reporter stayed to keep up the fire, Herbert and Pencroff went into the forest.
– We will hunt, Herbert, – said the sailor. – We will cut our guns in the forest.
At 9 o’clock the breeze blew from the southeast. When Herbert and Pencroff reached the forest, Pencroff broke from the first tree two thick branches. He made them into cudgels. The sailor carefully observed the character of the region. On this left bank the surface was flat. Sometimes it was moist and swampy. The opposite bank was more undulating. The hill was covered with trees. Along this right bank they could hardly walk, because the descent was steep, and the trees were only sustained by their roots. It is needless to say that both forest and shore looked wild. They saw fresh traces of animals.
They did not speak, their hunting was fruitless. Birds were singing and flying under the trees; but they showed an instinctive fear of the men. Among fir trees were fluttering birds with small bodies and long, glittering tails.
– These are couroucous[22] , – said Herbert. – Their meat is delicious. Besides, I think we can easily get at them with our sticks.
They used their sticks like a scythe, and they mowed down whole rows of the couroucous, of whom 105 were killed.
Then they saw a river. They followed it downward. And by 6 o’clock, Herbert and Pencroff re-entered the Chimneys.
Chapter VII
Gideon Spilett stood motionless upon the shore. He was gazing on the sea. The wind, already strong, was freshening, and the heavens had an angry look. Pencroff began to prepare dinner. At 7 o’clock Neb was still absent.
The storm began. A furious gust of wind passed over the coast from the southeast. At 8 o’clock Neb did not return. The birds were all they had for supper, but the party found them excellent. Pencroff and Herbert devoured them. Then each one retired to his corner, and Herbert was soon asleep.
It was about 2 o’clock when Pencroff suddenly woke up. The reporter was shaking him.
– What’s the matter? – Pencroff cried.
The reporter was bending over him and saying:
– Listen, Pencroff, listen!
The sailor listened, but could hear nothing interesting.
– It is the wind, – he said.
– No, – answered Spilett, – listen again! I think I heard…
– What?
– The barking of a dog!
– A dog! – cried Pencroff.
– Yes, the barking.
– Impossible! – answered the sailor.
– Wait and listen, – said the reporter.
Pencroff listened most attentively, and he caught the sound of distant barking.
– Is it? – asked the reporter.
– Yes, yes! – said Pencroff.
– It is Top! It is Top! – cried Herbert, and the three rushed to the entrance of the Chimneys. The darkness was absolute. Sea, sky, and earth were black.
For some moments the reporter and his two companions stood in this place. Then again, in the hush of the storm, they heard, far away, the barking of a dog. This must be Top. But was the dog alone?
It was indeed Top. But he was alone! Neither his master nor Neb accompanied him. It seemed inexplicable how, through the darkness and storm, the dog came to the Chimneys. Herbert drew the dog towards him; and the dog rubbed its neck against the lad’s hands.
– Top will guide us to its master! – said Herbert.
Pencroff made no objection. The tempest was terriblr. It was difficult to follow a straight course. The better way, therefore, was to trust to the instinct of Top. The reporter and the lad walked behind the dog, and the sailor followed after. The rain was not heavy, but the strength of the storm was terrible.
Probably, Neb found his master and sent the faithful dog to them. But is the engineer dead?
– Saved! He is saved! Isn’t he, Top? – repeated the boy. And the dog barked.
By 4 o’clock the wind was drier and colder. No murmur passed their lips. They were determined to follow Top wherever he wished to lead them.
At 5 o’clock the sailor and his companions were six miles from the Chimneys. Top ran ahead, returned, and ran again. The dog left the coast, and walked among the downs. The border of the downs was composed of hills and hillocks. It was like a little Switzerland of sand, but a dog instinct could find the way.
Five minutes after the reporter and his companions reached a hollow, before which Top stopped with a loud bark. The three entered the cave. Neb was there, he was kneeling beside a body upon a bed of grass. It was the body of Cyrus Smith.
Chapter VIII
Neb did not move. The sailor uttered one word.
– Alive? – he cried.
Neb did not answer. Herbert stood motionless. It was evident that the poor servant did not hear the voice of the sailor.
The reporter knelt down beside the motionless body, and pressed his ear to the chest of the engineer. Then he tried to detect some movement of the heart.
Gideon Spilett, after a long and attentive examination, rose up.
– He lives! – he said.
Pencroff knelt down beside Cyrus Smith; he also detected some heartbeats. Herbert hurried in search of water. Soon he found a brook; so the lad soaked his handkerchief in the stream, and hastened back with it to the cave.
The drops of fresh water produced an instantaneous effect. A sigh escaped from the breast of Smith.
– We will save him, – said the reporter.
Neb removed the clothing from his master. Neither on his head nor body nor limbs was there a bruise or even a scratch. That was astonishing.
– You thought he was dead? – asked the sailor Neb.
– Yes, I thought so, – answered Neb. – And I wanted to die beside my master.
Then Neb told them everything. Neb followed along the coast to the north, until he reached that part of the beach. There he searched the shore, the rocks, the sand for any marks. He did not hope to find his master. Then he decided to continue some miles further up the coast.
– I followed the shore two miles further, and yesterday evening, about 5 o’clock, I discovered footprints upon the sand.
– Footprints?! – cried Pencroff.
– Yes, sir, – replied Neb.
– And