The Mysterious Island Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Captain Grant's Children

Chapter 167 The Mysterious Island (52)
In addition, he also has a feeling that they have been very lucky before, and now they have deviated from their good luck and entered an unfortunate period.In the two and a half years since their escape from Richmond, it can be said that they have passed well.The island provided them with rich minerals, plants and animals.For the generous gift of nature, they use their talents to make good use of it.The material life of the immigrants can be said to be very happy.It is worth mentioning that in some cases, there is also a mysterious and unexplainable force that will help them! ...But all this is over!
In short, it seemed to Cyrus Harding that they were going downhill.

Indeed, the criminals came to the waters of the island by boat, and although the pirates were miraculously wiped out, six escaped the disaster.They landed on this island, with deep mountains and dense forests, and the five people who survived were almost indestructible.It goes without saying that Ayrton must have been murdered by those scoundrels.They carried firearms with them, and on the first use, Hubbert fell, and his wounds were almost fatal.Cyrus Harding could not help thinking: Is this the first stroke of bad luck upon the emigrants?Journalists thought of this too, and they also felt that the mysterious, effective assistance that had been solving many problems for them in the past seemed to be malfunctioning now.Has that mysterious figure—and whoever he is, he must have existed—has he left Lincoln Island by now?Is there nothing he can do about the current situation?
These questions are difficult to answer.But that does not mean that Cyrus Harding and his companions--even if those things were caused by them--are hopeless!That's not how it works.They can face up to their situation calmly, analyze various possibilities in the future, and prepare to deal with any emergencies. They face the future unswervingly, and if bad luck finally befalls them, they will go forward and fight with all their strength.

Back to "Granite Palace"

The lad's injury is recovering normally, and now everyone is only looking forward to one thing, that is, as soon as his physical condition allows, he will be transported back to "Granite Palace".Though the house at the Corral was also well furnished and provided with all the necessities of life, it was not thought to be as neat and comfortable as Granite House.It is also very important to point out that the "corral" is not so safe. Although the residents closely monitor the movements of criminals, they still cannot escape the threat of shooting.It would have been different in Granite House, where in the midst of that impregnable, inaccessible height the settlers would have nothing to fear.If those criminals attempted to attack them, failure would be their only fate.They waited anxiously for the moment when Harbert could be transported safely.The premise of the action is that Hubbert's wound can withstand the bumps of the journey.And, although it will be difficult to cross the Central and South American forests, they have decided to take him back with them.

There has been no news from Neb's side, but they are not worried about him.It was relatively safe there, and as long as the brave black man stayed in the depths of the "Granite Palace", he would not be attacked suddenly.The emigrants did not ask Top to deliver the message.Because doing so would put the faithful dog at risk of being shot, and they risk losing a useful helper.

Although the immigrants are eager to return to Granite Palace to reunite with their partners, all they can do now is wait.The engineers were also distressed to see the strength of the team dispersed, because this situation was very dangerous and would only give the pirates an opportunity to take advantage of it.After Ayrton's disappearance, the balance of power between the two sides has changed. Now they have four people against five people, and the injured Harbert can't be counted among them.For this, Hubbert was very disturbed.This kind-hearted boy is well aware of the inconvenience caused to his companions by his injury!
In view of the current situation, how to deal with those vicious criminals? At some point during the day of the 11th of November, Cyrus Harding, Jardine Splane, and Pencroft, seriously analyzed the subject, while Hubbert, in his coma, did not hear them. talk.

"My friends," said the reporter, after referring to the lost Neb, "Nab is indeed a concern, but we cannot get in touch with him under the circumstances. Walking back on the road of the 'corral', the enemy is in the dark, and we are likely to be shot, but we have no power to fight back. Don't you think that what we should do now is to hunt down those criminals with great fanfare?"

"So am I," replied Pencroft; "I do not think there is a coward in any one present, and as for me, I am ready to rush into the woods if Cyrus Harding nods! What's the matter with them?" The big deal is that one is better than the other!"

"Well, you can hold one, but can you hold five by yourself?" asked the engineer.

"Let me go with Pencroft," answered the reporter, "we're both armed, and Top..."

"My dear Spline, and you, Pencroft," went on Cyrus Harding, "be calm and think carefully. If the criminals were hiding somewhere on the island we know, we would Just wait for them to come out and launch a frontal attack. But it's not the case now, doesn't it occur to you that they will definitely fire the first shot?"

"Hey, Mr. Cyrus," cried Pencroft, "the bullet doesn't have eyes, and it doesn't hit if it can!"

"Remember, then, that the bullet that hit Herbert was on target, Pencroft," replied the engineer, "and there is one more question, if you both leave the 'corral' to pursue the gang Bandit, then I'm the only one left here. Can you guarantee that the criminals will not see you when you leave? They will let you run into the forest to find their lair? They know that there is only one wounded child and In the case of an adult, they won't take the opportunity to attack?"

"You are right, Mr. Cyrus," replied Pencroft, smothered with anger, "you are right. They know that there is ample living stock in the 'corral'! To occupy the 'corral' to get those things , they can do anything, and you alone can't stop their attack! How hateful! If only we were in Granite Palace!"

"If we were in 'Granite Palace,'" said the engineer, "the situation would be very different! If there, I would safely leave one man to look after Harbert while the other three searched The forest on the island. But the problem is that we are in the 'corral', so we should stay here temporarily to wait for Hubbert to recover from his injury, and then we will leave together!"

Cyrus Harding was quite right, and his companions were well aware of it.

"If only Ayrton were still with us!" said Jardine Splane. "Poor fellow! It's only a short while before he's back to the society again!"

"Has it ever occurred to him that he might not be dead? . . . " added Pencroft, in a rather queer tone.

"Why, Pencroft, do you expect the rascals to spare him?" asked Jardine Splane.

"Yes! If it's good for them!"

"What! Do you think that Ayrton will forget our kindness and friendship to him, and sink into the company of his former comrades again?"

"Only God knows," replied the sailor hesitantly.He made this unpleasant assumption, which is actually a bit unspoken.

"Pencroft," said Cyrus Harding, taking the sailor by the arm, "it is a false idea, and it would pain me if you insisted on it! Ayrton is true, I assure you!"

"I also believe in Ayrton," the reporter quickly added.

"Yes . Lost my mind. I can't stand being stuck in the 'corral' like this all day. I've never been so restless!"

"Be patient, Pencroft," replied the engineer; "my dear Spline, how long do you think it will take to bring Herbert to Granite House?"

"It's hard to say, Cyrus," replied the reporter, "he's seriously injured, and a little carelessness can have serious consequences. However, he is getting better every day, and if nothing else He'll regain some of his strength in a week's time, and if that's the case, we'll see then!"

A week later!This meant postponing the return to Granite Palace until the beginning of December.

Now, two months of spring have passed.The weather during this time is very good, and the temperature is getting higher and higher.In this season, the trees on the island are luxuriant, and the harvest time of crops is approaching.When they returned to the high ground of "Prospect Heights", they would be busy with farm work in the field, and in addition they would make a thorough search of the island as planned.

From this, it can be seen how bad it is for immigrants to be stuck in the "corral".Although they had to make concessions in this environment, they were very anxious in their hearts.

Once or twice the reporter ventured beyond the fence and went around the paddock.Top accompanied him, and he himself was armed with a loaded carbine, ready for any sudden attack.Thankfully, he was not in any danger and found no suspicious traces.If there was any danger, Top would warn him.And the dog hadn't barked, which meant that, at least for the time being, there was nothing to worry about. The criminals might be playing tricks on the other side of the island.

On November 11, Jardine Splane went out to investigate again.This time on the south side of the mountain, after he had ventured about a quarter of a nautical mile through the woods, he noticed that Top was behaving strangely, as if he were sniffing something.It walked around vigorously, looking around in the grass and bushes, as if it had found something suspicious with its keen sense of smell.

Jardin Splane followed Top, encouraging him to continue his search, watching his surroundings carefully, using the trees for cover as he mounted his carbine to fire.However, it might be too cautious to do so. Top should not have sensed that someone was present, otherwise, it would report to him with a deep roar.And now that it didn't make any calls, it meant that there was no danger nearby, and there was no sign of imminent danger.

Five minutes passed, and Top was still looking around.The reporter also followed it vigilantly. Suddenly, the dog rushed towards a bush with dense branches and leaves, and pulled out a rag from there.Apparently it was a piece of fabric from a dress, and now that it was dirty and torn, Jardin Splane immediately took it back to the "corral."

The emigrants in the "corral" examined the rag carefully, and recognized at once that it had been torn from Ayrton's coat, for it was felt made in the unique Granite Palace workshop.

"See, Pencroft," said Cyrus Harding, "that rag in the bushes says something, and poor Ayrton resisted, and the convicts dragged him away by force. You will no longer doubt his loyalty now?"

"There is no doubt, Mr. Cyrus," replied the sailor, "that I have long since given up the idea of ​​distrusting him, which was only a fleeting thought! But I think that through this rag we can reached a conclusion."

"What conclusion?" The reporter asked curiously.

"That means that Ayrton was not killed in the 'corral'! Since he resisted outside, it means that he was taken away alive! Maybe he is still alive!"

"It is indeed possible," replied the engineer thoughtfully.

Ayrton's companions were now a little more optimistic.They had previously thought that Ayrton had been attacked by criminals in the "corral" and had been shot and fell, just like Harbert, only not as lucky.But if the criminals hadn't killed him in the first place, if they had only kidnapped him elsewhere on the island, could it be presumed that Ayrton was still alive as their captive?Perhaps one of them recognized Ayrton as their former partner in Australia, the leader of the escaped convicts under the pseudonym Ben Joyce?Who knows if they will delusional to get Ayrton back in!If they could get him to betray the settlers, his presence would be too valuable to them...

This incident gave renewed hope to the settlers, who no longer considered finding Ayrton impossible.From Ayrton's point of view, if he was only captured but not killed, then he would make every effort to escape. What a powerful helper the brave Ayrton is to the immigrants !

"Anyway," pointed out Jardine Splane, "if Ayrton gets away with it, I think he'll go straight to Granite House, because he doesn't know about the gangsters' plot this time, and poor Herbert is already a victim of this conspiracy. So, it never occurred to him that we were trapped in the 'corral'."

"Ah! if he were at Granite House!" cried Pencroft, "and if we could be there too! For, though the rascals can't destroy our dwelling, they will certainly destroy our Prospect Heights." ', crops and poultry farms looted!"

Sailor Pencroft was now a true farmer, and wherever he went he kept his harvest in mind.But it must be admitted that Hubbert was more eager to return to Granite Palace than anyone else, because he knew very well that returning to Granite Palace would be very beneficial to the immigrants.But because of him, everyone had to stay in the "corral"!Therefore, there was only one thought left in his mind: to get out of the "corral", and to get out of the corral anyway!He firmly believes that he can already withstand the exhaustion of migration.He thought that his physical strength would recover faster when he returned to his room in the "Granite Palace", because he could not only breathe fresh air there, but also see the blue sea!
For this matter, he urged Jardine Splane several times, but Splane never agreed to leave. His reason was very good-Harbert's wound had not healed well, and the bumps on the way would make it open. .

But another incident soon occurred, which obliged Cyrus Harding and his two companions to comply with the boy's demands.And God knows, this decision has the potential to cause them great pain and guilt!

At seven o'clock in the morning on November 11, the three immigrants were chatting to pass the time in Harbert's room, when suddenly they heard Top uttering a hurried cry.Cyrus Harding, Pencroft, and Jardine Splane seized their guns and rushed out of the house, ready to fire.

By this time Top was at the foot of the corral, jumping and screaming, but he looked more pleased than angry.

"Maybe someone is coming!"

"That's right!"

"Shouldn't be an enemy!"

"Who could it be, Neb?"

"Or has Ayrton returned?"

Before the engineer and his two companions finished speaking, a figure easily jumped over the fence and stood on the ground of the "corral".It was Jupu, and Master Jupu himself came, and Top gave him a warm welcome at once!
"It's Jupp!" cried Pencroft.

"Nabbo must have sent it!" said the reporter.

"If that's the case," said the engineer, "it should have a letter on it."

Pencroft ran towards the orangutan.Obviously, if Neb had any important news to tell his master.He couldn't find a more reliable and efficient postman than Master Jupp; he went where the immigrants couldn't, and nay, he went where Top couldn't.

Cyrus Harding was not mistaken.Around Jupp's neck hung a little pocket, in which was a note in Neb's own handwriting.It is not difficult to imagine the anguish of Cyrus Harding and his companions when they read the following words:

Friday, six o'clock in the morning.

"Prospect Heights" is infested by criminals!

Naboo
For a moment they looked at each other completely speechless, and then went back to the house together.What should they do?Criminals harassing "Prospect Heights" means disaster, looting, and destruction!
Harbert, seeing the engineer, the reporter, and Pencroft coming in together, had guessed that the situation must be worse, and especially when he saw Jupp, he ceased to suspect that something bad had happened to Granite House. "Mr. Cyrus," said he, "I must go. I know it will be hard work, but I can bear it! I must go!"

Jardin Splane walked up to Hubbert, looked at him, and said, "Well, let's go!"

Should Harbert be carried on a stretcher, or in a wagon brought by Ayrton.The shipping method will be decided soon.The movement of the stretcher is relatively soft, which is better for the wounded, but the stretcher needs two people to carry it. That is to say, if they are attacked along the way, the immigrants will lose two guns for self-defense.

On the contrary, if a cart is used to transport it, wouldn't all the manpower be freed up?And you can lay a thick cushion on the car, let Huber lie on it, try to be careful when moving forward on the road, and minimize bumps.Isn't that all right?

The cart was quickly pulled over.Pencroft harnessed the wild ass deftly.While Cyrus Harding and the reporter lifted Harbert, with the mattress on which he slept, into the inside of the cart, between the two side rails.

It was a beautiful day, with bright sunshine shining on everyone through the trees.

"Are the guns ready?" asked Cyrus Harding.

(End of this chapter)