for a quarter of an hour. Five minutes later, I heard a dog bark. It was Top. And he brought me here, to my master.
– So you, Neb, – said the reporter, – did not bring your master to this place?
– No, it was not I, – answered Neb.
It was a real mystery. But they must carry Cyrus Smith to the Chimneys as soon as possible.
Soon the engineer opened his eyes. Neb and the reporter were leaning over him.
– My master! my master! – cried Neb.
The engineer heard him. He recognized Neb and his companions.
– Is it an island or a continent? – he murmured.
– What is the difference? – cried Pencroff, unable to restrain the exclamation, – you are alive! Island or continent? We will see that later.
The engineer seemed to sleep. The sailor was repeating:
– Island or continent! To think of that! What a man!
Pencroff and his companions constructed a litter, which they covered with leaves and grass. This work occupied some little time, and it was 10 o’clock when the three returned to Smith and Spilett.
The engineer woke from the sleep. The color came back to his lips. He raised himself slightly, and looked about.
– Well, – said the sailor, – Mr. Smith, your litter is ready, and we will carry you to our house.
– Thanks, my friend, – replied the engineer. – in an hour or two we will go.
The reporter related everything.
– But, – asked Smith, in a feeble voice, – you did not pick me up on the beach?
– No, – replied the reporter.
– And it was not you who brought me to this hollow?
– No.
– How far is this place from the reef?
– At least half a mile, – replied Pencroff, – and we are very surprised to find you here. But cannot you remember anything that happened after you were washed away?
Cyrus Smith tried to think, but he remembered little. The wave swept him from the net of the balloon. Then Top sprang to his rescue. Smith found himself in the midst of the tumultuous sea, more than half a mile from shore. He was swimming vigorously against the waves; but a strong current seized him. It carried him to the north, and soon he sank into the abyss. From that moment he remembered nothing.
– It’s strange, – said the reporter. – Did anyone rescue you from the waves?
– That is inexplicable.
Towards noon, Pencroff asked Smith if he felt strong enough. Fortunately, the rain stopped. At half past 5 the little party reached the Chimneys.
Chapter IX
The engineer was sleeping. First of all, they carried Cyrus Smith into the main corridor. There they were able to make for him a couch of seaweeds. The supper this evening consisted of the lithodomes.
The next day, the 28th of March, when the engineer awoke, about 8 o’clock, he saw his companions beside him, and, as on the day before, his first words were,
– Island or continent?
It was his one thought.
– Well, Mr. Smith, – answered Pencroff, – we don’t know.
– You haven’t found out yet?
– But we will, – affirmed Pencroff, – when you are able to guide us in this country.
– I believe that I am able to do that now, – answered the engineer, who rose up.
– That is good, – exclaimed the sailor.
– When you were carrying me here yesterday, did I not see a mountain in the west?
– Yes, – said Spilett, – quite a high one.
– All right, – exclaimed the engineer. – Tomorrow we will climb to its summit and determine whether this is an island or a continent.
– But, – asked Spilett, – where has this storm thrown us, Cyrus?
– In truth, I cannot say, – replied the engineer, but the probability is that we are somewhere in the Pacific. When we left Richmond the wind was northeast, and its direction did not vary much. We crossed North and South Carolina[23] , Georgia[24] , the Gulf of Mexico[25] , and the narrow part of Mexico, and a portion of the Pacific Ocean. I estimate the distance less than 6,000 or 7,000 miles. But if this coast belongs to some barren island in the Micronesian Archipelago[26] , perhaps we will never leave it.
– Never? – cried the reporter. – Do you say “never”, my dear Cyrus?
– We will know how to act when we first ascend the mountain, – answered Smith.
– But will you be able, Mr. Smith, to make the climb tomorrow? – asked Herbert.
– I hope so, answered the engineer, – if Pencroff and you, my boy, are good hunters.
Chapter X
The three hunters were seating before a fire. Beside them sat Cyrus Smith and the reporter.
– Yes, my good fellow, – said the reporter, – a fire, a real fire!
– But who lighted it? – said the sailor.
– The sun.
The sailor could not believe his eyes.
– Do you have a burning-glass[27] , sir? – asked Herbert of Cyrus Smith.
– No, my boy, said he, but I made one.
And he showed his lens. It was simply the two glasses, from his own watch and the reporter’s. He took them out, filled with water, and put together with some clay. Thus he made a veritable burning-glass, and concentrated the solar rays on some dry moss.
With the help of Neb, the sailor arranged the spit. The engineer and his companion made good use of their day[28] . Smith recovered his strength. They had a pleasant supper. The engineer said little; he was planning for the next day. After supper, the party lay down to sleep. The morning found them fresh and eager for the expedition.
Everything was ready. At half past 7 they left the Chimneys, each with a stout cudgel. By Pencroff’s advice, they took the route of the previous day, which was the shortest way to the mountain. They turned the southern angle, and followed the left bank of the river. They took the path under the evergreens, and soon reached the northern border of the forest. The soil was flat and swampy, then dry and sandy. Among the trees appeared a few animals. The engineer was going to the top of the mountain.
The mountain was composed of two cones. The first was truncated about 2,500 feet up, and supported by fantastic spurs. Between these spurs were narrow valleys. On the northeast side of the mountain, vegetation was scanty.
On the first cone lay the second one, slightly rounded towards the summit. The surface seemed bare. The object of the expedition was to reach the top of this cone, and their best way was along the edge of the spurs.
– We are in a volcanic country, – said Cyrus Smith, as they began to climb. They were gradually ascending. At noon, when the little company halted to dine, they were still half way from the first plateau, and could hardly reach it before nightfall. From this point the sea was beneath their feet. On the left they could see directly north for several miles;