Part 12 (1/2)

”It matters very little, Pencroft!”

”Very little indeed,” answered the sailor; ”and ill save the survivor of her crew if he is still living, to whatever country he o on board the Bonadventure”

A sort of uneasiness had seized Pencroft upon the subject of his vessel Should the island be inhabited after all, and should soed his shoulders at such an unreasonable supposition At any rate the sailor was not sorry to go to breakfast on board The road already trodden was not long, scarcely ainto the wood and thickets through which goats and pigs fled in hundreds

Twentythe hut Pencroft and his companions reached the western coast of the island, and saw the Bonadventure held fast by her anchor, which was buried deep in the sand

Pencroft could not restrain a sigh of satisfaction After all this vessel was his child, and it is the right of fathers to be often uneasy when there is no occasion for it

They returned on board, breakfasted, so that it should not be necessary to dine until very late; then the repast being ended, the exploration was continued and conducted with the most minute care Indeed, it was very probable that the only inhabitant of the island had perished It was thereforeman that Pencroft and his co the half of that day they sought to no purpose a the thickets of trees which covered the islet There was then scarcely any doubt that, if the castaas dead, no trace of his body now remained, but that some wild beast had probably devoured it to the last bone

”We will set off to-morrow at daybreak,” said Pencroft to his two co for a few minutes under the shade of a cluht without scruple take the utensils which belonged to the castaway,” added Herbert

”I think so too,” returned Gideon Spilett; ”and these arms and tools will make up the stores of Granite House The supply of powder and shot is also most important”

”Yes,” replied Pencroft; ”but we s, of which Lincoln Island is destitute--”

”Nor to gather those seeds,” added Herbert, ”which will give us all the vegetables of the Old and the New Worlds”

”Then perhaps it would be best,” said the reporter, ”to reer on Tabor Island, so as to collect all that may be useful to us”

”No, Mr Spilett,” answered Pencroft, ”I will ask you to set off to-morrow at daybreak The wind seems tohad a fair wind for co back”

”Then do not let us lose ti

”We won't waste tiather the seeds, which you know better than we do Whilst you do that, Mr Spilett and I will go and have a pig hunt, and even without Top I hope we shall ly took the path which led towards the cultivated part of the islet, whilst the sailor and the reporter entered the forest

Many specimens of the porcine race fled before theularly active, did not appear to be in a humour to allow themselves to be approached

However, after an hour's chase, the hunters had justin a thicket, when cries were heard resounding froled terrible yells, in which there was nothing human

Pencroft and Gideon Spilett were at once on their feet, and the pigs by this an to run away, at theready the rope to bind them

”That's Herbert's voice,” said the reporter

”Run!” exclaimed Pencroft

And the sailor and Spilett immediately ran at full speed towards the spot from whence the cries proceeded

They did well to hasten, for at a turn of the path near a clearing they saw the lad thrown on the ground and in the grasp of a savage being, apparently a gigantic ape, as about to do hireat harround in his turn, snatch Herbert from him, then bind him securely, was the work of a minute for Pencroft and Gideon Spilett The sailor was of Herculean strength, the reporter also very powerful, and in spite of the monster's resistance he was firmly tied so that he could not even move

”You are not hurt, Herbert,” asked Spilett

”No, no!”

”Oh, if this ape had wounded him!” exclaimed Pencroft

”But he is not an ape,” answered Herbert

At these words Pencroft and Gideon Spilett looked at the singular being who lay on the ground Indeed it was not an ape, it was a hue in all the horrible acceptation of the word, and so htful that he seeree of brutishness!

[Illustration: HERBERT IN DANGER]

shaggy hair, untri to the chest, the body al round the waist, wild eyes, enorany, feet as hard as if made of horn,--such was the miserable creature who yet had a claiht justly be asked if there were yet a soul in this body, or if the brute instinct alone survived in it!

”Are you quite sure that this is a man, or that he has ever been one?” said Pencroft to the reporter

”Alas! there is no doubt about it,” replied Spilett

”Then this must be the castaway?” asked Herbert

”Yes,” replied Gideon Spilett, ”but the unfortunatehuman about him!”

The reporter spoke the truth It was evident that if the castaway had ever been a civilised being, solitude had ular man of the woods Hoarse sounds issued from his throat between his teeth, which were sharp as the teeth of a wild beast made to tear raw flesh

Me tiun and tools, and he no longer kne to make a fire! It could be seen that he was active and powerful, but the physical qualities had been developed in him to the injury of the moral qualities Gideon Spilett spoke to him He did not appear to understand or even to hear And yet on looking into his eyes, the reporter thought he could see that all reason was not extinguished in hile, nor even attempt to break his bonds Was he overwhelmed by the presence of men whose fellow he had once been? Had he found in so remembrance which recalled him to humanity? If free, would he attempt to fly, or would he remain? They could not tell, but they did notattentively at the miserable creature,-- ”Whoever he may be,” remarked Gideon Spilett; ”whoever he may have been, and whatever he may become, it is our duty to take him with us to Lincoln Island”

”Yes, yes!” replied Herbert; ”and perhaps with care we ence”

”The soul does not die,” said the reporter; ”and it would be a great satisfaction to rescue one of God's creatures from brutishness”

Pencroft shook his head doubtfully

”We must try at any rate,” returned the reporter; ”humanity commands us”

It was indeed their duty as Christians and civilised beings All three felt this, and they well knew that Cyrus Harding would approve of their acting thus

”Shall we leave him bound?” asked the sailor