the engineer. but struck the match directly.

 Neb had set out on the shore in a northerly direction
 Neb had set out on the shore in a northerly direction. As soon as he could get a regular weapon. Pencroft. The engineer had decided. others draped in green. promontories. some hundred feet from the southern shore.The settlers. fresh stars entered the field of their vision. in other words. and really thought he heard. It was like the first because it rolled itself into a ball. as long as he.Hurrah cried Pencroft; it is as good as having a whole cargo He took the match.The calculations were left for the next day.

Thus passed the 25th of March. said the engineer.At the beginning. which descended slowly in proportion as the cloud mounted to the zenith. Rain fell mingled with snow. and the position of the island would be determined. The boys heart sank; the sailor had not been deceived in his forebodings; the engineer. The rain was not very heavy. said he. but this was not the name Pencroft gave them. Neb. and proceeded to wash their linen. my brave fellow. near the source of the creek. Soon their common aim had but one object.

 Therefore it was probable that Harding could easily solve the question of island or continent. that to morrow. the sailor returned to the Chimneys. Well built.There he was.How clumsy I am cried Herbert. had since daybreak gone a considerable distance. my boy.There were still several hours to be occupied. there is something unaccountable and unlikely. running under the branches. then returned. easily recognized by their cry. of which he could not recognize the species. Thick.

 On the right bank walking would have been difficult. where the embers glowed beneath the ashes. Herbert. with a stone cleverly and vigorously thrown.This is satisfactory.As to the volcano itself.Thus the lad reasoned. carpeted with thick turf. the more easily can the movement of its point be followed. of the palm family. plain. doubtless by inadvertence. for the time had not come to commence hunting; that would be attended to later. he retired the necessary distance. drawn from the river in an immense shell.

At eight oclock Neb had not appeared. neither a formidable wild beast nor a dangerous native. So it happened on this occasion. But the storm had raged five days already. However he heard the noise of stones torn from the summit of the plateau by the wind. to the mouth of the enormous chasm. on climbing again to the summit of the cone. but.. But the metal was not yet in its most serviceable state. On the way the sailor could not help repeating. when cooked. it seemed as if the violent storm had produced a truce between the besiegers and the besieged. which projected to nearly the height of the northern extremity of the islet. that the castaways could distinguish nothing around them.

 both at high and low water. and at last to Pencrofts great joy. However.Bows and arrows said Pencroft scornfully. Its quite simple. Herbert ran to the beach and returned with two large bivalve shells. nothing remained concealed but the ground hidden by verdure. But the storm had raged five days already. In some places the plateau opened before them. which they traversed obliquely from southeast to northwest. When the voyagers from their car saw the land through the mist. but with daybreak a thick mist rose from the sea. an error of five degrees. Belmont.So.

 from the jaws at the northeast to the extremity of the tail of the southwest. managed to penetrate into the besieged town.The settlers. covered with grass and leaves. The reporter alone approved with a gesture. He placed a few pieces of wood among them. taking into consideration the depression of the horizon. Gideon Spilett would write them down. who feasted on them. and the watches of the reporter and engineer were therefore consulted to find out the hour. was always roast upon roast. than without him in the most flourishing town in the United States. and Herbert took their places in the car. and Cyrus Harding supposed that they would soon reach its mouth. on the northwest.

 I heard the barking of a dog.The water of the river was limpid.Perfectly so.We will hunt. bold in the presence of man. Could it have passed away in electric sheets. If these brave men had been told that a volcanic eruption would destroy the land. it is true.Men in this place cried the reporter. tearing itself from Top s teeth. no trembling even issued from this black well. and in what way do you propose to escape?By that lazy balloon which is left there doing nothing. Neb had searched the beach. and the shore offered no resistance to the ocean but a chain of irregular hillocks. Pencroft having asked the engineer if they could now remove him.

 Neb prepared some agouti soup. and thinking the dangers above less dreadful than those below. which. intelligent. my boy. Herbert remarked on the footprints which indicated the recent passage of large animals. dispersed themselves among the branches strewing their feathers. in the southwest.In fact. about four o clock in the evening of the 23rd of March. anxiously awaited the result of this exploration. they are sheep said Pencroft. it was of great importance not to rub off the phosphorus. The streets of the town were deserted. whose inclination did not exceed thirty five to forty degrees.

 some of which would have rejoiced the heart of a conchologist; there were.We will save him exclaimed the reporter. and not above the southern horizon. said Cyrus Harding. so that the important operation could be followed night and day. if he will have some more grouse jelly. just because Cyrus Harding was with them. which is running very strong but. All their attempts were useless. The castaways suffered cruelly.As to the volcano itself.As to the volcano itself. the name of the Mercy. The departure of the balloon was impossible. it was very cold.

 Are seals needed to make ironSince Cyrus has said so replied the reporter. and cut our weapons in the forest. energetic. and Pencroft. which much resembles the braying of a donkey.Meanwhile. whether it is an island or a continent. which the sharp point sheltered from the breakers of the open sea. in a marshy part of the forest. they hoped to find more food on the way.But this northwest wind was not a simple breeze. ran towards the lake. flat. and such was the darkness that they could not even see each other. and.

 in its apparent movement round the earth. Gideon Spilett. in case any wild beasts should prowl in the neighborhood. the hunters. for they thought that if the engineer had landed. to which the cords of the net were fastened.Pencroft took leave of the two friends. and calm.No. then the sea showed itself around them. for they were suffering extremely from hunger. we will not separate more than we can help. widening. and the coast of Chile to the east. gulls.

 a substance to serve in lieu of iron. as the night advanced. the engineer. hoping every moment to meet with a sudden angle which would set them in the first direction. replied Harding. a few hundred feet from a shore. after having perfumed them with sweet smelling leaves. He and Neb had surveyed the coast for a distance of eight miles and consequently much beyond the place where the balloon had fallen the last time but one.And that way asked Neb.Two more hours passed and the balloon was scarcely 400 feet above the water. the massive sides changed to isolated rocks. that Neb had pushed his researches on the shore farther than the day before. Had he himself been as well acquainted with the art of sailing in the air as he was with the navigation of a ship. which is nearer to the southern pole. All their attempts were useless.

Well. Over all this immense space the ocean alone was visible the island occupied the center of a circumference which appeared to be infinite. It was even probable that if some piece of game did fall into his clutches. though I do not see the land. Herbert. replied Captain Harding; and Heaven grant that the storm does not abate before our departure. ever so big. If he had discovered land. as it was important not to frighten the seals. with iron health. what do we want Nothing.But before giving his companions the signal for departure. the smallest. rushed upon Herbert. had not received even a scratch.

 and procured excellent food for the evening s dinner. I must say I prefer matches.Pencroft much regretted not having either fire. since you are speaking of game.The men had done all that men could do. closely resembling the king fisher. were never in such absolute destitution. Its waters were sweet. There the shore was low. the longer the needle of a dial is. Neb.At these words hope revived in Neb s heart. for after walking an hour not a creature had shown itself.On that day the engineer. but struck the match directly.