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

Chapter 171 The Mysterious Island (56)
Ayrton appeared to be asleep on the bed.His haggard face showed that he had suffered a long time of cruel torture.There were also large bruises on his exposed wrists and ankles.Cyrus Harding bent over him.

"Ayrton!" cried the engineer, taking him by the arm.It was unexpected to find this poor companion under such circumstances.

At last Ayrton opened his eyes at this familiar call, till he gazed fixedly at Cyrus Harding, and at all, and exclaimed excitedly:

"You! Is it really you?"

"Ayrton! Ayrton!" cried Cyrus Harding incessantly.

"Where am I?"

"In the house in 'The Corral'!"

"Is it just us?"

"Yes!"

"They will come again!" cried Ayrton. "Don't let your guard down, and be on your guard! Be on your guard!"

Exhausted, Ayrton fell down again.

"Splain," cried the engineer, "the convicts may attack us at any moment. Go and drive the wagons into the 'corral.' Then bolt the gates, and here we all muster."

Pencroft, Neb and the reporter immediately carried out the engineer's order. At this time, they must act quickly. It is very likely that the cart has fallen into the hands of criminals!The reporter and his two companions hurried through the "corral" and came to the gate of the fence, when they could hear Top barking outside the fence.

The engineer temporarily left Ayrton, walked out of the house, and prepared to join the battle with his companions.Hubbert came out with him, and both kept a close eye on the top of the branch that overlooked the Corral.If the criminals were really in ambush there, they could take advantage of their terrain and kill the immigrants one by one.

At this time, the moon had risen from the east, hanging high above the dark forest, and the silver-white moonlight was shining on the fence.For a moment, the entire "corral", together with the luxuriant trees, the quietly flowing stream, and the large green grassland, were illuminated.On the other side of the mountain, the whole house and part of the fence are bathed in bright moonlight.Only the fence on the opposite side, near the door, was still sunk in darkness.

Soon, a large black mass appeared, which was their cart.It was already within the moonlit range, and Cyrus Harding heard a sound from the other side of the door as they closed and bolted it from the inside.

But at that moment Top snapped the rope, and screaming, rushed to the back of the "corral," which was to the right of the house, as if there was something there.

"Get ready, friends, aim! . . . " cried Cyrus Harding.

Immediately the immigrants raised their guns and opened fire as soon as the time came.Top kept barking, and Jupp ran quickly to the dog, screaming too.

The migrants followed Jupu all the way to the creek that was shaded by big trees.There, in the bright moonlight, what did they see?
Five dead bodies on the river bank!These are the corpses of the criminals who landed on "Lincoln Island" four months ago!

who killed the criminal
How did it happen?Who actually killed the criminals?Could it be that Ayrton did it?Impossible, because a moment ago, he was still worried that the bandits would come back!
But at this time Ayrton had fallen into a coma and could not answer their questions at all.After he managed to say a few words, his strength was exhausted, so he fell on the bed again and remained motionless.

All kinds of thoughts were circling in the heads of the immigrants, but they couldn't figure it out. The combination of so many things made them very emotional, so they waited in Ayrton's room for a while. All night, I didn't go to the place where the criminals were buried.As for the circumstances under which these people died, Ayrton may not be able to tell them anything, because he doesn't even know how he returned to the house in the "corral".But at least he was able to tell his companions what had happened before the horrific execution.

The next day Ayrton awoke from his stupor, and his companions expressed their delight at seeing him again after a hundred and four days' separation, and that he was largely unharmed.

Ayrton then gave a brief account of what had happened, or at least as he knew it.

On the evening of November 11 last year, that is, the second day after his arrival at the "corral", the gang broke in over the fence, and the unfortunate Ayrton was attacked by them.The gang tied him up and gagged him.Then, Ayrton, who was still struggling, was taken to a dark cave at the foot of the spur of "Franklin Peak", which was the lair where the criminals hid.

They had decided to execute him the next day, but when he was about to be killed, one of the criminals recognized him and called out the name he had used in his past crimes in Australia.These gangsters are going to kill the upright resident of the island, Ayrton!And what they respect is the vicious pirate Ben Joyce in the past!

Ayrton managed to save his life, but since then, Ayrton has been threatened by his former accomplice.They wanted him to join the gang again, and hoped that Ayrton would betray the residents of "Lincoln Island" and help them seize "Granite Palace", because Ayrton could help them enter this residence that outsiders could not enter and kill the immigrants. Drop, and then this group of pirates become the masters of the island!But Ayrton's will was strong.This former criminal has long been reborn, and would rather sacrifice himself than betray his trusted and forgiven companions.

Alton was tied up by them and his mouth was gagged.In this way, he was imprisoned in this cave for four months.

Although the convicts discovered the Corral shortly after arriving on the island, they did not live there, and even then they have been living by looting the Corral's supplies. On November 11, two bandits hiding in the "corral" accidentally discovered the arrival of the immigrants, so they opened fire on Harbert.One of the two bandits, as is known, fell to the dagger of Cyrus Harding.The other fled back to the cave.He triumphantly boasted that he had killed an immigrant on the island.

Try to imagine how anxious and desperate Ayrton was at that time, when he thought that Harbert had really been beaten to death by the gangsters!He has been imprisoned, and now there are only four immigrants left, and they will be threatened by criminals!

After this incident, the pirates did not leave the cave for the entire time that the settlers were trapped in the corral because of Harbert's injuries, and even after they sacked Prospect Heights, they thought they would leave. Rock caves are unwise.

From this time on, they began to abuse Ayrton more and more.His hands and feet were bound day and night, and there are still bloodstains left after the binding.During that time, he had no hope of escaping, and was waiting for death every moment.

This continued until the third week of February.The criminals had been waiting for an opportune moment to strike back, and during that time they had not left their lair except for the occasional hunt, either in the interior of the island or on the remote south coast.After being imprisoned, Ayrton never heard from his companions, nor expected to see them!

In the end, the poor man, unable to bear the cruel torture any longer because of his physical weakness, fell into a deep exhaustion, and his sight and hearing were weakened.Since then, that is, what happened during the two days when he escaped unexpectedly, he could no longer tell.

"But, Mr. Cyrus," he added, "I remember that I was imprisoned in that cave. How can I wake up in the 'corral'?"

"I also wonder, how did the criminals die in the middle of the fence?" asked the engineer.

"They're dead?" cried Ayrton, half rising in excitement, though his body was still weak.

His companions quickly supported him.He wanted to see it with his own eyes, so everyone could only follow his wishes and help him walk towards the creek together.

By this time it was broad daylight.At that place, they accidentally found the bodies of five criminals, who looked like they had just been shot to death!
Ayrton was stunned by what he saw.Cyrus Harding and his companions watched him in silence.

The engineer signaled, and Neb and Pencroft stepped forward to examine the chilled and stiff bodies.

They found no injuries on the surface of the body.However, after careful inspection, Pencroft found a small red spot on the forehead, chest, back, and shoulder of different corpses. The wound was so small that it was almost invisible, even though it was confirmed that it was a fatal injury. But they still don't know how the wound was formed.

"This is their mortal wound!" said Cyrus Harding.

"But what weapon did this do?" shouted the reporter.

"I guess a deadly weapon we've never heard of!"

"Then who shot them? . . . " asked Pencroft.

"It was the Messenger of Justice of the Isle whom we all know," answered Cyrus Harding, "it was Ayrton, who sent you back here, and who still exercises his mighty power. , It was him who did things for us that could not be done by our own strength, and once he was done, he ran away far away."

"Then let us hurry to him!" cried Pencroft.

"Yes, we shall find him," answered Cyrus Harding; "but this mysterious man who has worked all wonders, I think we shall find him only if he will let us see him!"

The ineffectiveness of their own actions compared with this invisible protection annoyed and moved the engineers at the same time.These things show again and again that they are at a disadvantage, and the kind of things that would stab a proud soul.This kind of generous salvation, which accepts no gratitude, also shows contempt for the beneficiary.This, at least in Cyrus Harding's opinion, somewhat diminished the value of the beneficence.

"Let's search," he added, "and, God bless, we may one day prove to this proud protector that he is not dealing with some ungrateful! If you do him a big favor, even if it costs us our lives, we will never refuse!"

From that day on, finding the mysterious benefactor became the sole concern of the residents of "Lincoln Island".Everything that has happened since they landed on the island has prompted them to unravel the answer to this mystery, and the answer to this mystery can only be knowing the name of a person who has unexplained and almost supernatural powers. .

It was not long before the settlers returned to the house in the "corral", and under their careful care, Ayrton soon regained his vigor and strength.Neb and Pencroft went to bury the bodies of the criminals, which lay in the wood not far from the Corral.

Then it was the turn of the companions to tell Ayrton what happened outside during his imprisonment.Only then did he learn about Harbert's difficult experience and all the hardships the immigrants went through.It turned out that they had given up hope of seeing Ayrton again, and they thought that the criminals had brutally killed him.

"And now," said Cyrus Harding at last, "we have one more thing to do. So far as our plans are concerned, we are half done with our task, though the criminal is no longer to be feared. Infested, that is not what we did, let us become the masters of the island again, there are other people."

"Well then," said Jardine Splane, "we'll search the whole labyrinth of offshoots of 'Franklin Peak'! Not a single cavern that hasn't been explored before! Ah! If we can solve the mystery , then, my friends, I who am speaking to you are the first correspondent to report the matter!"

"If our benefactor is not found," said Hubbert firmly, "we shall never return to Granite House."

"That's right!" said the engineer. "As long as human power can do it, we will do it... But I have to warn everyone first, I'm afraid we can only find him if he wants to see us!"

"Shall we live in the 'corral' for a while?" asked Pencroft.

"Yes, temporarily staying in the 'corral'," Cyrus Smith replied, "the reserves here are abundant, and this place is right in the center of the investigation range. In addition, if necessary, return to the 'Granite Palace' , the cart will be here soon."

"Well, I agree," replied the sailor, "but I have an opinion."

"What opinion?"

"The best season is coming, don't forget what we said, sailing."

"Sailing?" Jardine Splane said.

"Yes! to Tabor Island," answered Pencroft; "a letter must be sent there, stating the position of our island, and stating that Ayrton is here with us now, in case If the Scottish yacht comes for him. It may be too late now, but who knows!"

"Be practical, though, Pencroft," asked Ayrton; "have you ever considered how you can cross the sea?"

"You can take the 'Lucky'!"

"The Luck!" cried Ayrton, "don't you know? It's gone."

"What, my 'Lucky' is gone!" Pencroft was furious all of a sudden.

"Yes, no more!" replied Ayrton. "The convicts found the boat in the little harbour, and that was a week ago. They sailed in it, and then..."

"What happened then?" said Pencroft, his heart beating with nervous tension.

"Then, without a veteran Bob Harvey at the helm, they ran aground on the rocks as soon as they were out to sea, and the whole boat crashed on the rocks!"

"Dear me! These damned bastards! Scoundrels! Despicable rascals!" cried Pencroft, excitedly.

"Restraint, Pencroft," said Herbert, seizing the sailor's hand, "we can build another 'Lucky', a bigger ship! From that brig, you know, we found All hardware, all rigging!"

"But do you know," replied Pencroft, "that it takes at least five or six months to build a ship of thirty or forty tons?"

"We don't have to worry about time," the reporter replied, "and we don't have to go to Tabor Island this year."

"There is nothing better to do, Pencroft, and resignation," said the engineer, "be calm, and now we can only hope that the delay in going to Tabor Island will not do us any harm."

"Alas! my 'Lucky'! my poor 'Lucky'!" sighed Pencroft, deeply saddened to learn of the loss of his little boat, of which he was so proud!The loss of the "Lucky" was obviously a regrettable event for the immigrants, and this loss must be made up as soon as possible.After this problem was solved, everyone was busy with the survey work. This time they were going to search the most hidden place on the deserted island.

The search has been going on for a whole week since February 2.The spurs and countless branches of the foothills form intricate valleys and hills, which is like a huge maze, and the layout of this maze is very irregular.The depths of those narrow valleys, and even the interior of the "Franklin Peak" mountain, are also areas that immigrants should search.If the strange and mysterious man should hide in some unknown place, these places are more suitable than any part of the island, but the terrain here is so complicated that Cyrus Harding was forced to use scientific methods. rather rigorous approach to organizing their surveys.

The settlers first explored the valley leading to the south of the volcano, which is also the source of the Falls River.It was there, too, that Ayrton showed the cave where the convicts had hidden, and where he had been imprisoned until he was freed and sent to the "corral."The cave was exactly as it had been when Ayrton had left it.They also found some ammunition and food inside, which were stolen by criminals and stored here.

The whole valley near the cave is covered with tall trees, mainly conifers.The immigrants searched the valley carefully, and after bypassing the branch of the southwest mountain ridge from below, they entered a long and narrow valley.And this narrow valley started from the strange-shaped basalt rocks on the seashore.

The trees here are sparser, and there are rocks here instead of grass.Wild goats and blue sheep are jumping freely among the rocks.From here you will enter the wildest part of the island.Although there are many valleys radiating from "Franklin Peak", it can already be seen that the canyons are the same as the valleys of "Corral", and only three of them are tree-lined and pasture like the valley where "Corral" is located. Pieces. The valley in which the "corral" is located is bordered by the valley of the Falls River to the west and the valley of the Red River to the east.These two creeks come from the flowing water of various nearby mountain streams.And because of their nourishment, the land in the south of the mountain became very fertile. When the stream flowed downstream, it merged with many tributaries to form a real river.The water of the "Grateful River" comes from the endless springs under the green cover of the Central and South American forests. They are also the source of nature. These springs seep through countless water networks and generously irrigate the land of the "Serpentine Peninsula". .

Among the three valleys with abundant water, it is very likely that one of them will be used as a hermit by the mysterious person, because all the necessities of life can be found there.However, after the immigrants carefully surveyed these valleys, they found nothing, and no one could be found anywhere.Could it be that the You-Know-Who and his abode were in the depths of those barren valleys, among the collapsed rocks, or in the rugged northern dells and lava flows?
(End of this chapter)