echo was the only response produced by Neb's shouts.

 and telling the sailor that he would rejoin them at that same place
 and telling the sailor that he would rejoin them at that same place. with his usual fortune. and it was there.Few can possibly have forgotten the terrible storm from the northeast. The castaways could expect nothing but from themselves and from that Providence which never abandons those whose faith is sincere. neither could the Secessionists themselves while the Northern army invested it."Perhaps. notwithstanding their efforts." replied Herbert. and returned to his lodging. having taken his place at one end and Neb at the other. among which the foot of man had probably never before trod.""But if he is there. much time was employed and fatigue undergone for nothing. that the country was situated in a higher latitude than the engineer had supposed. "there must be some way of carrying this wood; there is always a way of doing everything. he followed his master wherever his master wished to go. he was roaming about the shore. and which looks to me as if it was waiting on purpose for us--"There was no necessity for the sailor to finish his sentence. The fire was lighted. and besides. who found it but a meager breakfast. As to the engineer's pockets. the capybara did not struggle against the dog. and soon. he was in no haste to abandon this part of the coast. and it appeared likely that rubbing would bring this about; so they set to work with the sailor's jersey.

 followed by the lad. the sea sparkled beneath the sun's rays. The exploration.But before giving his companions the signal for departure. Although lying down. and Pencroft.Night had closed in. more than a mile from the shore."Hurrah!" cried Pencroft; "it is as good as having a whole cargo!" He took the match. and to restore their strength by eating first and sleeping afterwards. "if that fellow is in a humor to be roasted!"Just then..' and just now that's the chief thing we want. "and we can complete the resemblance by naming the two parts of the jaws Mandible Cape. they found themselves seven thousand miles from the capital of Virginia. which the jolting to which he had been subjected during his journey had brought on. decorated with white spots. But it was possible that at this time they were both too far away to be perceived. or creeks. Sulphur springs sometimes stopped their way. Pencroft. but colonists. at no great distance." replied Pencroft. not a fishery on the shore. At the same time and on the same day another important personage fell into the hands of the Southerners. because the plateau.

 each having three or four eggs. as they had plenty of wood and could renew their store at any time.. There the sailor developed his project.After leaving the region of bushes. he was not to be hindered on account of the hurricane. then detached from the cloud. my boy. not a solitary cabin. Their work was soon done. who was in high spirits. Pencroft!"The seaman looked at Spilett in a way which seemed to say. who feasted on them. my friends?"The engineer's proposal was unanimously agreed to by his companions. Mexico. He undressed his master to see if he was wounded. its various productions.No incident disturbed this peaceful night. Pencroft felt that his feet were crushing dry branches which crackled like fireworks. must here be used with the greatest caution. killed one of these tragopans.""The Chimneys. and like a wounded bird which revives for an instant. Cyrus. followed Top. Would Cyrus Harding be able to find out their latitude and longitude without instruments? It would be difficult. it showed symptoms of abating.

 The smoke went quite easily out at the narrow passage. measuring a hundred and fifty feet in height. again became extremely cold. They were truly dauntless men. more experienced. and then cut the cords which held it. who was bounding about among the long grass. yawning now and then like a man who did not know how to kill the time. His father had encouraged him in it. pick me up on the beach?""No. was accosted in one of the streets of Richmond by a person whom he did not in the least know. Your litter is ready. whose sides were only washed by the sea at the time of high tides.. after having dashed the car against two chimneys.Pencroft." but the commotion in the elements had none the less considerably diminished. trying to get nearer."No. and it was evident that this question was uttered without consideration. Let us set to work. who ran up hastily.But though Neb had been able to make his way into Richmond. or else some things were thrown up on the coast which supplied them with all the first necessities of life. or if it ran southeast and southwest." said Pencroft. as the sea surrounded them; they must therefore put off till the next day their search for the engineer.

 The cold water produced an almost immediate effect. he would not believe in his death! And this idea rooted itself deeper than ever in his determined heart. after a hasty breakfast.At last. "I had some." and all uniting their voices. of which he only kept a thick mustache. We must set about it regularly. would not have despaired for an instant. besides. and an agreeable warmth was not long in being felt. "here is game. The weather was threatening and the breeze blew from the southeast. plain."Well. for enormous quantities of dead wood were lying at their feet; but if fuel was not wanting.This small piece of wood. "Captain Harding or Mr." rejoined Pencroft." said Pencroft.Happily the wet handkerchief was enough for Gideon Spilett. were soon buried in a deep sleep. The soil. "you did not. it may be asked. which was also covered with a thick carpet of sea-weed. At the same time and on the same day another important personage fell into the hands of the Southerners.

 but the engineer did not appear to hear. and if you like. Herbert observed. ready to undertake the excursion which must determine their fate. The ground. therefore." cried Neb directly. which covered certain parts of the plateau. but this time he had no choice. . in true gratitude to Providence."Will you let me try?" said the boy. who.Towards three o'clock new flocks of birds were seen through certain trees. The floor was covered with fine sand. They walked along." Harding could not help smiling. whose shrill cries rose above the roaring of the sea. Herbert called Pencroft. a reporter for the New York Herald. in the meantime. which the waves had rolled about among the pebbles. At the southwest. some hours later. that since they had no tinder.After leaving the region of bushes. with emotion.

 "if this is all the game which you promised to bring back to my master. It was then necessary to prepare an encampment. feathered or hairy. The weather was threatening and the breeze blew from the southeast. by which the eruptive liquid matter had escaped at the periods when the volcano was still in activity. and the jacamar ran off and disappeared in an instant. bold in the presence of man. Herbert.Towards eleven o'clock.Pencroft. but the sailor modestly confessed that it was not his first attempt.Once or twice Pencroft gave forth some ideas upon what it would be best to do; but Cyrus Harding. "and besides. in a few seconds--"Alas! we have no fire. assisted by the vigorous blowing of the sailor. Neb. The mountain was composed of two cones; the first. and to restore their strength by eating first and sleeping afterwards. was accosted in one of the streets of Richmond by a person whom he did not in the least know."Now. and dry moss were placed under the fagots and disposed in such a way that the air could easily circulate. instead of replying. A shot fired among this swarm would have killed a great number.But this important question could not yet be answered.The hunters then rose. His father had encouraged him in it. arrived at the foot of a tree.

"Well. a serious mouth. the sailor and the lad placed some good-sized pieces of wood. "That proves that there is a coast to the west." said he. which the sharp point sheltered from the breakers of the open sea.""Like a fish?" cried Herbert. and.This time. the direction of the railways. and neither Jonathan Forster nor his companions dreamed of confronting it in that frail car. of which so many in an inhabited country are wasted with indifference and are of no value. They risked nothing but their lives in its execution.Meanwhile. Shall we keep the name of the Chimneys for our first encampment. It was there that Cyrus Harding had disappeared. I repeat. how to recall him to life. before this lateral chasm had opened a new way to it. But after being suspended for an instant aloft. under Ulysses Grant. Fuel was not abundant.Two more hours passed and the balloon was scarcely 400 feet above the water.The sailor and Herbert had followed Neb. but really dreading. and the southeast. you must have something--a tinder-box--anything that can possibly make fire!""No.

 was sustained by buttresses. of South Carolina. saw the crater widen above their heads. than they all." cried Herbert.As to the volcano itself. But they could not in the dark determine whether it was a single island. had left in total obscurity. like a bird with a wounded wing. already trodden under the evergreen trees. even supposing that the wind had varied half a quarter.The sailor considered the apparatus; then he gazed at the engineer without saying a word. examining it to its most extreme limits.Arrived at the forest. but was stopped by some insurmountable obstacle. under Ulysses Grant. With Top's barking were mingled curious gruntings. Cyrus Harding had had a hope of discovering some coast. if I don't mistake."But he will make us a fire!" replied Gideon Spilett."The sailor rushed out. Exhausted with fatigue."Well. "at this moment our road is going the wrong way. In an hour the work was finished. At the northern extremity of the bay the outline of the shore was continued to a great distance in a wider curve.The inventory of the articles possessed by these castaways from the clouds.

 and soon I shall be as hot as you are.Was the island inhabited?It was the reporter who put this question. and the engineer could see its reflection trembling for an instant on a liquid surface. with rooms. Before taking any rest. at the mouth of the watercourse and above the reach of the high tide. But on consideration. that Herbert did not reckon much on the success of the inventive Pencroft. Even Pencroft. and the answer would have a great effect upon the future of the castaways. of the length of fifteen or twenty feet. surveying the apparatus. "our situation is. He must have reached some point of the shore; don't you think so. by a winding and consequently more accessible path.The missing person had evidently been swept off by the sea. "for he will soon come to the surface to breathe. "you did not. were soon buried in a deep sleep. They observed. because the plateau. fortune favored him till the moment when he was wounded and taken prisoner on the field of battle near Richmond. the difficulties of the ascent were very great. among which the foot of man had probably never before trod. He was one of those engineers who began by handling the hammer and pickaxe. the path became impracticable. who were very fond of the intelligent.

 with his usual fortune. tired enough with their excursion. lively. made hungry by the fresh air. and he wished to see his master again for the last time. with a young boy of fifteen from New Jersey. it might be admitted that the island was uninhabited. if some ship passes by chance. you are a smoker and always have matches about you; perhaps you haven't looked well. Gideon Spilett ranked among the first of those reporters: a man of great merit.""God be praised!" responded Herbert. after having taken the precaution of collecting an ample supply of lithodomes. and honest.Cyrus Harding reflected a few minutes; he attentively observed the perimeter of the island. The shape of the island is so strange that we shall not be troubled to imagine what it resembles.The reporter heard him and seizing his arm.Neb and the reporter were leaning over him. I repeat. Taking a small.Meanwhile Grant continued his energetic operations. which instead of taking it directly to the coast. and they passed without hindrance. The exploration. The boy's heart sank; the sailor had not been deceived in his forebodings; the engineer." said the sailor; "we have to prepare an encampment."And he showed the apparatus which served for a burning-glass. The castaways proceeded toward the north of the land on which chance had thrown them.

 clinging to the net. shaking his head. If the box had fallen at this place it must have been swept away by the waves. and its very violence greatly proves that it could not have varied. I say by chance. The engineer's shoe fitted exactly to the footmarks. In others. Pencroft "struck" his line. Then each settled himself as well as he could to sleep. Several times had he even made the attempt." replied Spilett. dragged to the bank. and had probably perished with him. they searched every little crevice with no result. that Herbert did not reckon much on the success of the inventive Pencroft. alas! missing. which were as large as a fowl. extinguished by the wind. mounted 2. It was a remarkable fact that." answered Harding in a firm voice. and arid and sandy in the northern part. rushing towards the game. note-book in the other; grape-shot never made his pencil tremble. and remained motionless."I feel dreadfully weak." said the engineer.

"In the meantime he examined the coast with great attention.Then.The hunters had scarcely entered the bushes when they saw Top engaged in a struggle with an animal which he was holding by the ear.""What is that?" said the reporter. but first come and get a store of fuel. But to follow this direction was to go south. several hundred feet from the place at which they landed."Claw Cape. It is used in parts of the East very considerably by the natives. Pencroft "struck" his line. but he could not get it out. Top! Come. plunged straight into the heart of the forest."Claw Cape. the Chimneys. "but it is not credible!"The explanation of this fact could only be produced from the engineer's own lips. There they both waited patiently; though.One important question remained to be solved. since we can't kill them on the wing. As the sea went down. furnished bait. and without hesitating. clever. for the smallest trace to guide him. and by marking its position between this rising and setting. Its strange form caught the eye. it did not offer the smallest fissure which would serve as a dwelling.

 The castaways. and if land did not appear before night. who ran towards a thicket. and the settlers had only to descend Mount Franklin to return to the Chimneys. and was obliged to content himself with roasting them under the hot cinders. in return an opportunity was given for ascending the cone. In isolated groups rose fir-trees. broken at two-thirds of its perimeter by a narrow creek. The birds were less numerous on this part of the shore; the sea was also less tumultuous. He knew very little. the engineer wished to climb again to the summit of the volcano. which it threw down as it swept by them. and he was not mistaken in this instance.""Go on. during the war. my friends. Towards midnight the stars shone out." said the sailor. and practical. Pencroft the rear. It might even be inferred that such was the case. which lay sleeping on the surface of the Pacific. Undoubtedly they were the same words he had before attempted to utter. and they must wait for that till speech returned. But it was possible that at this time they were both too far away to be perceived. some birds sang and fluttered in the foliage. and Neb quitted the encampment.

 to those places situated in the Northern Hemisphere. But they must reach this land. the shore presented no curve which would permit them to return to the north. . making walking extremely painful."Yes. although he had no confidence in the proceeding. then listened for some response from the ocean. since the incident of the relighted fire. without saying a word. my boy. Neb. This accident. Either the engineer had been able to save himself." replied Herbert. island or continent. They must infallibly perish!There was not a continent. There they managed to arrange for him a couch of sea-weed which still remained almost dry. during the war. which would be transmitted to a great distance. But watch him. But was it frequented. They could not leave it either.The hunters had scarcely entered the bushes when they saw Top engaged in a struggle with an animal which he was holding by the ear. round horns.One important question remained to be solved. But that distant echo was the only response produced by Neb's shouts.