Pencroff

“ A.
“Britannia,” exclaimed Pencroff, who had been called by the reporter to look at it; “that is a common name among ships, and I cannot say whether it is English or American. However, it don’t matter to what country the man belongs, we will save him, if he is alive. But before we begin our search let us go back to the Good Luck.”
Pencroff had been seized with a sort of anxiety about his sloop. Supposing the island was inhabited, and some one had taken it—but he shrugged his shoulders at this unlikely thought. Nevertheless the sailor was not unwilling to go on board to breakfast. ”

“ CHAPTER IX. CYRUS IS HERE-PENCROFF’S ATTEMPTS—RUBBING WOOD—ISLAND OR CONTINENT —THE PLANS OF THE ENGINEER—WHEREABOUTS IN THE PACIFIC—IN THE DEPTHS OF THE FOREST—THE PISTACHIO PINE—A PIG CHASE—A SMOKE OF GOOD OMEN.
In a few words the others were informed of what had happened. This accident, which portended serious results—at least Pencroff foresaw such—affected each one differently. Neb, overjoyed in having recovered his master, did not listen or did not wish to think of what Pencroff said. Herbert shared in a measure the apprehensions of the sailor. ”

“ Every one listened to the lad’s lesson in botany, Smith smiling, Pencroff with an indescribable pride. “That’s all very well, Herbert,” answered the sailor, “but I dare swear that of all these useful specimens none are as large as these!”
“That is so.”
“Then, that proves what I said,” replied the sailor, “that giants are good for nothing.”
“There’s where you are wrong, Pencroff,” said the engineer, “these very eucalypti are good for something.”
“For what?”
“To render the country healthy about them. Do you know what they call them In Australia and New Zealand?” ”

“ In truth they knew Nature; and he who knows Nature will succeed when others would lie down to die.
Herbert especially distinguished himself in the work. He understood at a word and was prompt in execution. Smith grew fonder of him every day and Herbert was devoted to the engineer. Pencroff saw the growing friendship, but the honest sailor was not jealous. Neb was courage, zeal, and self-denial in person. He relied on his master as absolutely as Pencroff, but his enthusiasm was not so noisy. The sailor and he were great friends. ”

“ Neb, Herbert, and Pencroff left the cave and went towards a high down on which were some gnarled trees. On the way the sailor kept repeating:—
“Island or continent! To think of that, at his last gasp! What a man!”
Having reached the top of the down, Pencroff and his companions tore off the main branches from a tree, a sort of sea pine, sickly and stunted. And with these branches they 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. ”

“ Smith approves, I am ready to take to the woods. Surely one man is as good as another!”
“But is he as good as five?” asked the engineer.
“I will go with Pencroff,’ answered the reporter, “and the two of us, well armed, and Top with us—”
“My dear Spilett, and you, Pencroff, let us discuss the matter coolly. If the convicts were in hiding in some place known to us, from which we could drive them by an attack, it would be a different affair. But have we not every reason to fear that they will get the first shot?”
“Well, sir,” cried Pencroff, “a bullet doesn’t always hit its mark!” ”

“ The four castaways stood still and looked anxiously at each other. Herbert was the first to break the silence, by saying:—
“Mr. Spilett, you are a smoker, you always have matches about you; perhaps you have not searched thoroughly. Look again; a single match will be enough.”
The reporter rummaged the pockets of his trowsers, his vest, and coat, and to the great joy of Pencroff, as well as to his own surprise, felt a little sliver of wood caught in the lining of his vest. ”

“ The reporter and engineer walked together, the former ready to note down every incident, the latter seldom speaking, and turning aside only to pick up sometimes one thing, sometimes another, vegetable or mineral, which he put in his pocket without saying a word.
“What, the mischief, is he picking up?” muttered Pencroff. “There’s no use in looking; I see nothing worth the trouble of stooping for.”
About 10 o’clock the little company descended the last declivities of Mount Franklin. ”

“ CHAPTER XLIX THE REPORTER AND PENCROFF IN THE CORRAL—MOVING HERBERT—DESPAIR OF THE SAILOR—CONSULTATION OF THE ENGINEER AND THE REPORTER—MODE OF TREATMENT—A GLIMMER OF HOPE—HOW TO WARN NEB—A FAITHFUL MESSENGER—NEB’S REPLY.
At Herbert’s cry, Pencroff, dropping his gun, sprang towards him.
“They have killed him!” cried he. “My boy—they have killed him.”
Smith and Spilett rushed forward. The reporter put his ear to the boy’s heart to see if it were still beating.
“He’s alive,” said he, “but he must be taken—”
“To Granite House? Impossible!” said the engineer. ”

“ I am in that position!”
“And we will not return to Granite House,” said Herbert, “until we have found our benefactor.”
“Yes,” said Smith, “we will do everything that is possible for human beings to do—but, I repeat it, we will not find him till he wills it.”
“Shall we stay here at the corral?” asked Pencroff.
“Yes,” replied the engineer, “let us remain here. Provisions are abundant, and we are in the centre of our circle of investigation, and, moreover, if it is necessary, the wagon can go quickly to Granite House.”
“All right,” said Pencroff. “Only one thing.” ”

“ Pencroff shook his head doubtfully.
“It is necessary to try at all events,” said the reporter, “humanity requires it of us.”
“It was, indeed, their duty as civilized and Christian beings, and they well knew that Smith would approve of their course.
“Shall we leave him bound?” inquired the sailor.
“Perhaps if we unfasten his feet he will walk,” said Herbert.
“Well, let us try,” replied the sailor. ”

“ The onager, the goats, and the sheep in the corral furnished a daily supply of milk to the colony, and the cart, or rather a light wagon, which had taken its place, made frequent trips to the corral. And when Pencroff’s turn came, he took Jup along, and made him drive, and Jup, cracking his whip, acquitted himself with his usual intelligence. Thus everything prospered, and the colonists, if they had not been so far from their country, would have had nothing to complain of. They liked the life and they were so accustomed to the island that they would have left it with regret. ”

“ The convicts discovered where the sloop lay, and, a week ago, they put out to sea in her, and—”
“And?” said Pencroff, his heart trembling.
“And, not having Harvey to manage her, they ran her upon the rocks, and she broke all to pieces!”
“Oh! the wretches! the pirates! the devils!” exclaimed the sailor.
“Pencroff,” said Herbert, taking his hand, “we will build another, a larger Good Luck. We have all the iron, all the rigging of the brig at our disposal!” ”

“ Spilett and Pencroff were extremely nervous; they walked up and down, changing place every minute. Herbert’s feeling was one of curiosity. Neb alone remained calm; his master was his country. The engineer was absorbed in his thoughts, and was inclined to believe the ship rather an enemy than a friend. By the help of the glass they could make out that she was a brig, and not one of those Malay proas, used by the pirates of the Pacific. ”

“ The stock of wood was piled up in one of the chambers, and the sailor placed some logs and broken branches upon the stones. He was occupied in arranging them when Herbert asked him if he had some matches.
“Certainly,” replied Pencroff, “and moreover, fortunately; for without matches or tinder we would indeed be in trouble.”
“Could not we always make fire as the savages do,” replied Herbert, “by rubbing two bits of dry wood together?” ”

“ 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 human being, a man. But what a man! ”

“ However, Pencroft, accustomed with his sailor eyes to pierce through the gloom, was almost certain that he could clearly distinguish in the west confused masses which indicated an elevated coast. But they could not in the dark determine whether it was a single island, or connected with others. They could not leave it either, as the sea surrounded them; they must therefore put off till the next day their search for the engineer, from whom, alas! not a single cry had reached them to show that he was still in existence.
"The silence of our friend proves nothing," said the reporter. ”

“ They breakfasted, therefore, near the Chimneys, and during their repast, as may be supposed, nothing was talked of but the event which had so miraculously saved the colony.
"Miraculous is the word," repeated Pencroft, "for it must be acknowledged that those rascals blew up just at the right moment! Granite House was beginning to be uncomfortable as a habitation!"
"And can you guess, Pencroft," asked the reporter, "how it happened, or what can have occasioned the explosion?"
"Oh! Mr. Spilett, nothing is more simple," answered Pencroft. "A convict vessel is not disciplined like a man-of-war! ”

“ Harding, Gideon Spilett, Herbert, Pencroft and Neb posted themselves in impregnable line. Top, his formidable jaws open, preceded the colonists, and he was followed by Jup, armed with knotty cudgel, which he brandished like a club.
The night was extremely dark, it was only by the flashes from the revolvers as each person fired that they could see their assailants, who were at least a hundred in number, and whose eyes were glowing like hot coals.
"They must not pass!" shouted Pencroft.
"They shall not pass!" returned the engineer. ”

“ Neb could do nothing but cry out, "Oh! oh! oh!"
"I begin to think that very curious things happen in Lincoln Island!" said Pencroft.
"Curious?" replied Gideon Spilett, "not at all, Pencroft, nothing can be more natural. Some one has come during our absence, taken possession of our dwelling and drawn up the ladder."
"Some one," cried the sailor. "But who?"
"Who but the hunter who fired the bullet?" replied the reporter.
"Well, if there is any one up there," replied Pencroft, who began to lose patience, "I will give them a hail, and they must answer." ”

“ The corral is only a store-house to them, and not a definitive encampment.”
“I am of Cyrus’ opinion,” said the reporter, “and I think that it is among the spurs of Mount Franklin that the convicts will have made their lair.”
“Then, captain, straight to the corral!” cried Pencroft. “We must finish them off, and till now we have only lost time!”
“No, my friend,” replied the engineer; “you forget that we have a reason for wishing to know if the forests of the Far West do not contain some habitation. Our exploration has a double object, Pencroft. ”

“ The cart emerged from the wood and began to roll noiselessly towards the palisade. The darkness was now profound, the silence as complete as when Pencroft and the reporter crept over the ground. The thick grass completely muffled their footsteps. The colonists held themselves ready to fire. Jup, at Pencroft's orders, kept behind. Neb led Top in a leash, to prevent him from bounding forward. ”

“ Pencroft listened more attentively, and really thought he heard, during a lull, distant barking.
"Well!" said the reporter, pressing the sailor's hand.
"Yes—yes!" replied Pencroft.
"It is Top! It is Top!" cried Herbert, who had just awoke; and all three rushed towards the opening of the Chimneys. They had great difficulty in getting out. The wind drove them back. But at last they succeeded, and could only remain standing by leaning against the rocks. They looked about, but could not speak. The darkness was intense. The sea, the sky, the land were all mingled in one black mass. ”

“ You will bring me your wife and children, and I shall make jolly little chaps of your youngsters!"
"That's agreed," replied Herbert, laughing and blushing at the same time.
"And you, Captain Harding," resumed Pencroft enthusiastically, "you will be still the governor of the island! Ah! how many inhabitants could it support? Ten thousand at least!"
They talked in this way, allowing Pencroft to run on, and at last the reporter actually started a newspaper—the New Lincoln Herald! So is man's heart. ”

“ But we must not let him smoke it all, he must give us our share."
"Ah! an idea occurs to me, Mr. Spilett," replied Herbert. "Don't let us say anything to Pencroft yet; we will prepare these leaves, and one fine day we will present him with a pipe already filled!"
"All right, Herbert, and on that day our worthy companion will have nothing left to wish for in this world."
The reporter and the lad secured a good store of the precious plant, and, returning to Granite House, smuggled it in with as much precaution as if Pencroft had been the most severe of custom-house officers. ”

“ They could not tell, but they did not make the experiment; and after gazing attentively 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 may arouse in him some gleam of intelligence."
"The soul does not die," said the reporter; "and it would be a great satisfaction to rescue one of God's creatures from brutishness." [Pg 161]
Pencroft shook his head doubtfully. ”