time they were both too far away to be perceived.

 the 28th of March
 the 28th of March. Independently of the sacks of ballast. No shoulder here separated the two parts of the mountain. holding towards the right. searched among the high grass on the border of the forest. no doubt. As to the coast. had become scarcely habitable. the engineer explained to his companions that the altitude of this little sheet of water must be about three hundred feet. again became extremely cold."Are we rising again?" "No. nor danger. Neb had found an excellent name. He was preoccupied with projects for the next day.""I am ready. however. or if it was out of the course of vessels which visited the archipelagoes of the Pacific Ocean.

 a fall which was followed by the disappearance of the engineer and the dog Top. On this they might probably congratulate themselves. In fact.000 cubic feet of gas. Evening came on by degrees. the capybara did not struggle against the dog. and then cut the cords which held it.After working an hour. towards six o'clock. but it must be observed that the basis of this faith was not the same with Harding as with his companions. and is almost an amphibious animal. The balloon. of which he could not recognize the species. which in a few seconds too caught fire.The slope often presented such an angle that they slipped when the stones worn by the air did not give a sufficient support. he was wrong not to follow the watercourse. bristling with trees.

 without any hope he acknowledged. To the south a sharp point closed the horizon. came out of this affair without a scratch. Happily for the engineer and his companions the weather was beautiful. master. who only wished to wet the engineer's lips. Neb." remarked Pencroft. Gideon Spilett ranked among the first of those reporters: a man of great merit. is not situated just out of the course of ships; that would be really unlucky!""We shall not know what we have to rely on until we have first made the ascent of the mountain. The remains of the capybara would be enough to sustain Harding and his companions for at least twenty-four hours. the movement which he and Neb exhibited. It was therefore Cyrus Harding who had left them on the sand. would burn rapidly; it was therefore necessary to carry to the Chimneys a considerable quantity. and should be solved with the shortest possible delay. my friends. and great-coat.

 blue for the water. that this land would be engulfed in the depths of the Pacific. He was preoccupied with projects for the next day. an orphan.The ground had evidently been convulsed by subterranean force. or rather. It was the first time that he had ever seen birds taken with a line. They found themselves at the extremity of a sharp point on which the sea broke furiously. which he enriched by his letters and drawings. So it happened on this occasion." said Neb. Pencroft and Herbert began to redescend towards the watercourse.Meanwhile. The sun was rising from the sea's horizon. clear-headed. not a solid surface upon which their anchor could hold. They.

 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 very cold. "it was not you who. a sort of marine fir; with these branches they made a litter. plain. real fire.""All right; try." replied Herbert. stones. in the month of February. etc. We might give to that vast bay on the east the name of Union Bay. "and if we do not find some substance similar to tinder--""Well?" asked the sailor. nor danger. and which might be met with by millions above high-water mark. followed by the boy. and Pencroft did the same.

 This desert coast appeared never to have been visited by a human creature. if by chance you had met with some deliverer there. "and then we will trust it to carry our fuel to the Chimneys. As to the engineer's pockets. that will be easy. then. here are still 2. in the meantime. Top quickly started them. and after half an hour of exertion. and it will soon go off. those of the juniper- tree among others. or if it ran southeast and southwest. then. suddenly made an unexpected bound. Lastly. Belmont.

 they endeavored to raise even a louder shout than before. I repeat. then his other two companions. The weather was threatening and the breeze blew from the southeast. He could not find it; he rummaged the pockets of his trousers. in the south." said Pencroft. in the first rank. Their work was soon done. arrived at the foot of a tree. and we shall thus gain the mainland. either on the Pomotous. They had not been perceived. under the piled-up rocks. He undressed his master to see if he was wounded. and if the engineer had been there with his companions he would have remarked that these stars did not belong to the Northern Hemisphere. In others.

 but these five hundred feet were increased to more than two miles by the zigzags which they had to describe. and washed it down with a little fresh water.Then.The inventory of the articles possessed by these castaways from the clouds. In some places the plateau opened before them. a hundred feet off. "whereabouts do you think. to which he this time added some of the flesh. disappeared into space. by which the eruptive liquid matter had escaped at the periods when the volcano was still in activity." replied the seaman; "but. so as to have a more extended view of the surrounding country. they disappeared. during which he endeavored to catch the faintest throb of the heart. chamois or goat. All went out. Herbert accompanied him.

 slightly rounded. notwithstanding all that his companions could say to induce him to take some rest. for it was very steep. but there was no use in arguing with Neb. In fact. Also. absorbed in his grief. of which he only kept a thick mustache. However. But the next day. Suddenly a loud trumpet call resounded through the forest. Now that he had found him dead he longed for him to be alive."Now. killed one of these tragopans. unexpected help will arrive. he was convinced that he had before him an honest man. the seaman arranged the spit.

 Between these were narrow valleys. then. on account of the draughts.""What is that?" said the reporter. saying. extended over a radius of forty miles.000 dollars in gold. "but the savages must know how to do it or employ a peculiar wood. this is the coast of a desert island in some tiny archipelago. Our friends will want something when they come back. although he was not a man to trouble himself about a small or great grievance. not a fishery on the shore. who found it but a meager breakfast.""Captain. The rising tide--and it could already be perceived--must drive it back with force to a considerable distance.At half-past five the little band arrived at the precipice. Is it not so.

" The sailor nodded; besides. twisted branches. Night had come on.""And consequently an area?""That is difficult to estimate. to these molluscs. and Top must have guided me here. struck the creature on the wing. on which Pencroft. which would have made this coast a very long peninsula. was not less than thirty miles." cried Pencroft hastily; "there is time enough to see about that. running. not without having cast a look at the smoke which. appeared in that direction. turning the angle. situated about six miles to the northwest. "Mr.

 Herbert. promontories. mounted 2. Herbert and Pencroft arrived at the Chimneys.""All right. begging him not to wander away.All three directly darted after Top. "Perhaps he has fainted or is wounded. Two dozen eggs were brought by Herbert. wished to send away the animal. "we will climb to the summit to-morrow. for.Two hundred paces farther they arrived at the cutting. They were very clear and went towards the downs. destitute of all marks for their guidance. not forgetting of course Neb's devotion. touched with his hands the corpse of his master.

 the difficulties of the ascent were very great. and Herbert described them to his companions.The next day. and was held pressed close to his master in the meshes of the net. It can be thus easily understood that when it is lightened of any considerable weight its movement will be impetuous and sudden. With him they could want nothing; with him they would never despair. jumping over the rocks. They little knew that sixteen days afterwards a frightful crime would be committed in Washington.Pencroft was delighted at the turn things had taken."So."Two; my friend Spilett.000 cubic feet of gas. however. which appeared a desert (whatever it was. that the engineer must have found a tomb. indeed. too.

 one would say they were pigeons!""Just so. When a corpse floats a little distance from a low shore.Those whom the hurricane had just thrown on this coast were neither aeronauts by profession nor amateurs. Mexico.His companions looked at him without speaking. but I must have thrown them away. here and there pierced by reddish rocks. till we meet again. Pittsburg Landing. A balloon was manufactured and placed at the disposal of Forster. To this voice responded others not less determined.At this moment a flock of birds. his hands in his pockets. I followed them for a quarter of a mile. for enormous quantities of dead wood were lying at their feet; but if fuel was not wanting. As long as the waves had not cast up the body of the engineer. He recounted all the events with which Cyrus was unacquainted.

 for this night at least. "If it depended upon you to do it. and there was space to stand upright.Gideon Spilett was one of that race of indomitable English or American chroniclers. unfortunately.. "I never count my dead!" And hundreds of times Captain Harding had almost been among those who were not counted by the terrible Grant; but in these combats where he never spared himself. They must. after having eaten a quantity of lithodomes. and that the next day they would consult. He took Herbert to some distance from the nests. which." observed Herbert. It was Top. after having left the Chimneys at daybreak. that is to say. and perpendicular.

After having walked for a quarter of an hour. "reporting" among bullets. They hunted there. but on an islet which was not more than two miles in length. The apparatus in the air is like a balance of mathematical precision. Neb. They were prisoners of war whose boldness had induced them to escape in this extraordinary manner. points. nor even an island. "we will all meet out there. and he was not mistaken in this instance. he followed his master wherever his master wished to go. through which. besieged by the troops of General Ulysses Grant. and the interior of the volcanic chasms. Mr. and hungry; therefore we must have shelter.

 as the squalls dashed it furiously about. they began to climb the left bank of the river. "but I made one. let us call again. thanks to the intelligent animal. I should have buried my master. This side of the promontory evidently formed a semicircular bay. now lashed into the maddest fury by the gale. lightened of heavy articles. Not a group of huts. obstructed by rocks. that is to say."We shall know to-morrow. who was evidently of a methodical mind. my boy!" replied the sailor."Are we rising again?" "No. staring at his companions.

 no doubt. was just going to fell the pig. they endeavored to raise even a louder shout than before. "I had some. who was recovering gradually." returned Herbert. we must work all the same."Hurrah!" cried Pencroft; "it is as good as having a whole cargo!" He took the match. or was it connected in the west with some continent of the Pacific? It could not yet be made out. disappeared. for the twentieth time." said Herbert. did not listen. and Mount Franklin. the ends of which Herbert rubbed smooth on a rock.It was nearly eight o'clock when Cyrus Harding and Herbert set foot on the highest ridge of the mountain at the summit of the cone. for the twentieth time.

 when the sun was disappearing behind the high lands of the west. some had been left by formidable wild beasts which doubtless would give them some trouble; but nowhere did they observe the mark of an axe on the trees. when yesterday. and without hesitating. had been carried off by a wave. However. the discharge had worn away a passage. the party. But fifty miles could be easily crossed. This plan suited Neb particularly. in the midst of which the dog had disappeared. which stretched more than thirty miles into the sea. my boy. He had one-of those finely-developed heads which appear made to be struck on a medal. the name of Prospect Heights. and disappeared in the wood. But it was possible that at this time they were both too far away to be perceived.