Things happened as Pencroft had predicted, he being seldom mistaken in his prognostications. The wind rose, and from a fresh breeze it soon increased to a regular gale1; that is to say, it acquired a speed of from forty to forty-five miles an hour, before which a ship in the open sea would have run under close-reefed topsails. Now, as it was nearly six o'clock when the "Bonadventure" reached the gulf3, and as at that moment the tide turned, it was impossible to enter. They were therefore compelled to stand off, for even if he had wished to do so, Pencroft could not have gained the mouth of the Mercy. Hoisting4 the jib to the mainmast by way of a storm-sail, he hove to, putting the head of the vessel5 towards the land.
Fortunately, although the wind was strong the sea, being sheltered by the land, did not run very high. They had then little to fear from the waves, which always endanger small craft. The "Bonadventure" would doubtlessly not have capsized, for she was well ballasted, but enormous masses of water falling on the deck might injure her if her timbers could not sustain them. Pencroft, as a good sailor, was prepared for anything. Certainly, he had great confidence in his vessel, but nevertheless he awaited the return of day with some anxiety.
During the night, Cyrus Harding and Gideon Spilett had no opportunity for talking together, and yet the words pronounced in the reporter's ear by the engineer were well worth being discussed, together with the mysterious influence which appeared to reign6 over Lincoln Island. Gideon Spilett did not cease from pondering over this new and inexplicable7 incident, the appearance of a fire on the coast of the island. The fire had actually been seen! His companions, Herbert and Pencroft, had seen it with him! The fire had served to signalize the position of the island during that dark night, and they had not doubted that it was lighted by the engineer's hand; and here was Cyrus Harding expressly declaring that he had never done anything of the sort! Spilett resolved to recur8 to this incident as soon as the "Bonadventure" returned, and to urge Cyrus Harding to acquaint their companions with these strange facts. Perhaps it would be decided9 to make in common a complete investigation10 of every part of Lincoln Island.
However that might be, on this evening no fire was lighted on these yet unknown shores, which formed the entrance to the gulf, and the little vessel stood off during the night.
When the first streaks11 of dawn appeared in the western horizon, the wind, which had slightly fallen, shifted two points, and enabled Pencroft to enter the narrow gulf with greater ease. Towards seven o'clock in the morning, the "Bonadventure," weathering the North Mandible Cape12, entered the strait and glided13 on to the waters, so strangely enclosed in the frame of lava14.
"Well," said Pencroft, "this bay would make admirable roads, in which a whole fleet could lie at their ease!"
"What is especially curious," observed Harding, "is that the gulf has been formed by two rivers of lava, thrown out by the volcano, and accumulated by successive eruptions16. The result is that the gulf is completely sheltered on all sides, and I believe that even in the stormiest weather, the sea here must be as calm as a lake."
"No doubt," returned the sailor, "since the wind has only that narrow entrance between the two capes17 to get in by, and, besides, the north cape protects that of the south in a way which would make the entrance of gusts18 very difficult. I declare our 'Bonadventure' could stay here from one end of the year to the other, without even dragging at her anchor!"
"It is rather large for her!" observed the reporter.
"Well! Mr. Spilett," replied the sailor, "I agree that it is too large for the 'Bonadventure,' but if the fleets of the Union were in want of a harbor in the Pacific, I don't think they would ever find a better place than this!"
"We are in the shark's mouth," remarked Nab, alluding19 to the form of the gulf.
"Right into its mouth, my honest Nab!" replied Herbert, "but you are not afraid that it will shut upon us, are you?"
"No, Mr. Herbert," answered Neb, "and yet this gulf here doesn't please me much! It has a wicked look!"
"Hallo!" cried Pencroft, "here is Neb turning up his nose at my gulf, just as I was thinking of presenting it to America!"
"But, at any rate, is the water deep enough?" asked the engineer, "for a depth sufficient for the keel of the 'Bonadventure' would not be enough for those of our iron-clads."
"That is easily found out," replied Pencroft.
And the sailor sounded with a long cord, which served him as a lead-line, and to which was fastened a lump of iron. This cord measured nearly fifty fathoms20, and its entire length was unrolled without finding any bottom.
"There," exclaimed Pencroft, "our iron-clads can come here after all! They would not run aground!"
"Indeed," said Gideon Spilett, "this gulf is a regular abyss, but, taking into consideration the volcanic21 origin of the island, it is not astonishing that the sea should offer similar depressions."
"One would say too," observed Herbert, "that these cliffs were perfectly22 perpendicular23; and I believe that at their foot, even with a line five or six times longer, Pencroft would not find bottom."
"That is all very well," then said the reporter, "but I must point out to Pencroft that his harbor is wanting in one very important respect!"
"And what is that, Mr. Spilett?"
"An opening, a cutting of some sort, to give access to the interior of the island. I do not see a spot on which we could land." And, in fact, the steep lava cliffs did not afford a single place suitable for landing. They formed an insuperable barrier, recalling, but with more wildness, the fiords of Norway. The "Bonadventure," coasting as close as possible along the cliffs, did not discover even a projection24 which would allow the passengers to leave the deck.
Pencroft consoled himself by saying that with the help of a mine they could soon open out the cliff when that was necessary, and then, as there was evidently nothing to be done in the gulf, he steered25 his vessel towards the strait and passed out at about two o'clock in the afternoon.
"Ah!" said Nab, uttering a sigh of satisfaction.
One might really say that the honest Negro did not feel at his ease in those enormous jaws26.
The distance from Mandible Cape to the mouth of the Mercy was not more than eight miles. The head of the "Bonadventure" was put towards Granite27 House, and a fair wind filling her sails, she ran rapidly along the coast.
To the enormous lava rocks succeeded soon those capricious sand dunes28, among which the engineer had been so singularly recovered, and which seabirds frequented in thousands.
About four o'clock, Pencroft leaving the point of the islet on his left, entered the channel which separated it from the coast, and at five o'clock the anchor of the "Bonadventure" was buried in the sand at the mouth of the Mercy.
The colonists29 had been absent three days from their dwelling30. Ayrton was waiting for them on the beach, and Jup came joyously31 to meet them, giving vent2 to deep grunts32 of satisfaction.
A complete exploration of the coast of the island had now been made, and no suspicious appearances had been observed. If any mysterious being resided on it, it could only be under cover of the impenetrable forest of the Serpentine33 Peninsula, to which the colonists had not yet directed their investigations34.
Gideon Spilett discussed these things with the engineer, and it was agreed that they should direct the attention of their companions to the strange character of certain incidents which had occurred on the island, and of which the last was the most unaccountable.
However, Harding, returning to the fact of a fire having been kindled35 on the shore by an unknown hand, could not refrain from repeating for the twentieth time to the reporter,--
"But are you quite sure of having seen it? Was it not a partial eruption15 of the volcano, or perhaps some meteor?"
"No, Cyrus," answered the reporter, "it was certainly a fire lighted by the hand of man. Besides; question Pencroft and Herbert. They saw it as I saw it myself, and they will confirm my words."
In consequence, therefore, a few days after, on the 25th of April, in the evening, when the settlers were all collected on Prospect36 Heights, Cyrus Harding began by saying,--
"My friends, I think it my duty to call your attention to certain incidents which have occurred in the island, on the subject of which I shall be happy to have your advice. These incidents are, so to speak, supernatural--"
"Supernatural!" exclaimed the sailor, emitting a volume of smoke from his mouth. "Can it be possible that our island is supernatural?"
"No, Pencroft, but mysterious, most certainly," replied the engineer; "unless you can explain that which Spilett and I have until now failed to understand."
"Speak away, captain," answered the sailor.
"Well, have you understood," then said the engineer, "how was it that after falling into the sea, I was found a quarter of a mile into the interior of the island, and that, without my having any consciousness of my removal there?"
"Unless, being unconscious--" said Pencroft.
"That is not admissible," replied the engineer. "But to continue. Have you understood how Top was able to discover your retreat five miles from the cave in which I was lying?"
"The dog's instinct--" observed Herbert.
"Singular instinct!" returned the reporter, "since notwithstanding the storm of rain and wind which was raging during that night, Top arrived at the Chimneys, dry and without a speck37 of mud!"
"Let us continue," resumed the engineer. "Have you understood how our dog was so strangely thrown up out of the water of the lake, after his struggle with the dugong?"
"No! I confess, not at all," replied Pencroft, "and the wound which the dugong had in its side, a wound which seemed to have been made with a sharp instrument; that can't be understood, either."
"Let us continue again," said Harding. "Have you understood, my friends, how that bullet got into the body of the young peccary; how that case happened to be so fortunately stranded38, without there being any trace of a wreck39; how that bottle containing the document presented itself so opportunely40, during our first sea-excursion; how our canoe, having broken its moorings, floated down the current of the Mercy and rejoined us at the very moment we needed it; how after the ape invasion the ladder was so obligingly thrown down from Granite House; and lastly, how the document, which Ayrton asserts was never written by him, fell into our hands?"
As Cyrus Harding thus enumerated41, without forgetting one, the singular incidents which had occurred in the island, Herbert, Neb, and Pencroft stared at each other, not knowing what to reply, for this succession of incidents, grouped thus for the first time, could not but excite their surprise to the highest degree.
"'Pon my word," said Pencroft at last, "you are right, captain, and it is difficult to explain all these things!"
"Well, my friends," resumed the engineer, "a last fact has just been added to these, and it is no less incomprehensible than the others!"
"What is it, captain?" asked Herbert quickly.
"When you were returning from Tabor Island, Pencroft," continued the engineer, "you said that a fire appeared on Lincoln Island?"
"Certainly," answered the sailor.
"And you are quite certain of having seen this fire?"
"As sure as I see you now."
"You also, Herbert?"
"Why, captain," cried Herbert, "that fire was blazing like a star of the first magnitude!"
"But was it not a star?" urged the engineer.
"No," replied Pencroft, "for the sky was covered with thick clouds, and at any rate a star would not have been so low on the horizon. But Mr. Spilett saw it as well as we, and he will confirm our words."
"I will add," said the reporter, "that the fire was very bright, and that it shot up like a sheet of lightning."
"Yes, yes! exactly," added Herbert, "and it was certainly placed on the heights of Granite House."
"Well, my friends," replied Cyrus Harding, "during the night of the 19th of October, neither Neb nor I lighted any fire on the coast."
"You did not!" exclaimed Pencroft, in the height of his astonishment42, not being able to finish his sentence.
"We did not leave Granite House," answered Cyrus Harding, "and if a fire appeared on the coast, it was lighted by another hand than ours!"
Pencroft, Herbert, and Neb were stupefied. No illusion could be possible, and a fire had actually met their eyes during the night of the 19th of October. Yes! they had to acknowledge it, a mystery existed! An inexplicable influence, evidently favorable to the colonists, but very irritating to their curiosity, was executed always in the nick of time on Lincoln Island. Could there be some being hidden in its profoundest recesses43? It was necessary at any cost to ascertain44 this.
Harding also reminded his companions of the singular behavior of Top and Jup when they prowled round the mouth of the well, which placed Granite House in communication with the sea, and he told them that he had explored the well, without discovering anything suspicious. The final resolve taken, in consequence of this conversation, by all the members of the colony, was that as soon as the fine season returned they would thoroughly45 search the whole of the island.
But from that day Pencroft appeared to be anxious. He felt as if the island which he had made his own personal property belonged to him entirely46 no longer, and that he shared it with another master, to whom, willing or not, he felt subject. Neb and he often talked of those unaccountable things, and both, their natures inclining them to the marvelous, were not far from believing that Lincoln Island was under the dominion47 of some supernatural power.
In the meanwhile, the bad weather came with the month of May, the November of the northern zones. It appeared that the winter would be severe and forward. The preparations for the winter season were therefore commenced without delay.
Nevertheless, the colonists were well prepared to meet the winter, however hard it might be. They had plenty of felt clothing, and the musmons, very numerous by this time, had furnished an abundance of wool necessary for the manufacture of this warm material.
It is unnecessary to say that Ayrton had been provided with this comfortable clothing. Cyrus Harding proposed that he should come to spend the bad season with them in Granite House, where he would be better lodged48 than at the corral, and Ayrton promised to do so, as soon as the last work at the corral was finished. He did this towards the middle of April. From that time Ayrton shared the common life, and made himself useful on all occasions; but still humble49 and sad, he never took part in the pleasures of his companions.
For the greater part of this, the third winter which the settlers passed in Lincoln Island, they were confined to Granite House. There were many violent storms and frightful50 tempests, which appeared to shake the rocks to their very foundations. Immense waves threatened to overwhelm the island, and certainly any vessel anchored near the shore would have been dashed to pieces. Twice, during one of these hurricanes, the Mercy swelled51 to such a degree as to give reason to fear that the bridges would be swept away, and it was necessary to strengthen those on the shore, which disappeared under the foaming52 waters, when the sea beat against the beach.
It may well be supposed that such storms, comparable to water-spouts in which were mingled53 rain and snow, would cause great havoc54 on the plateau of Prospect Heights. The mill and the poultry-yard particularly suffered. The colonists were often obliged to make immediate55 repairs, without which the safety of the birds would have been seriously threatened.
During the worst weather, several jaguars56 and troops of quadrumana ventured to the edge of the plateau, and it was always to be feared that the most active and audacious would, urged by hunger, manage to cross the stream, which besides, when frozen, offered them an easy passage. Plantations57 and domestic animals would then have been infallibly destroyed, without a constant watch, and it was often necessary to make use of the guns to keep those dangerous visitors at a respectful distance. Occupation was not wanting to the colonists, for without reckoning their out-door cares, they had always a thousand plans for the fitting up of Granite House.
They had also some fine sporting excursions, which were made during the frost in the vast Tadorn Marsh58. Gideon Spilett and Herbert, aided by Jup and Top, did not miss a shot in the midst of myriads59 of wild-duck, snipe, teal, and others. The access to these hunting-grounds was easy; besides, whether they reached them by the road to Port Balloon, after having passed the Mercy Bridge, or by turning the rocks from Flotsam Point, the hunters were never distant from Granite House more than two or three miles.
Thus passed the four winter months, which were really rigorous, that is to say, June, July, August, and September. But, in short, Granite House did not suffer much from the inclemency60 of the weather, and it was the same with the corral, which, less exposed than the plateau, and sheltered partly by Mount Franklin, only received the remains61 of the hurricanes, already broken by the forests and the high rocks of the shore. The damages there were consequently of small importance, and the activity and skill of Ayrton promptly62 repaired them, when some time in October he returned to pass a few days in the corral.
During this winter, no fresh inexplicable incident occurred. Nothing strange happened, although Pencroft and Neb were on the watch for the most insignificant63 facts to which they attached any mysterious cause. Top and Jup themselves no longer growled64 round the well or gave any signs of uneasiness. It appeared, therefore, as if the series of supernatural incidents was interrupted, although they often talked of them during the evenings in Granite House, and they remained thoroughly resolved that the island should be searched, even in those parts the most difficult to explore. But an event of the highest importance, and of which the consequences might be terrible, momentarily diverted from their projects Cyrus Harding and his companions.
It was the month of October. The fine season was swiftly returning. Nature was reviving; and among the evergreen65 foliage66 of the coniferae which formed the border of the wood, already appeared the young leaves of the banksias, deodars, and other trees.
It may be remembered that Gideon Spilett and Herbert had, at different times, taken photographic views of Lincoln Island.
Now, on the 17th of this month of October, towards three o'clock in the afternoon, Herbert, enticed67 by the charms of the sky, thought of reproducing Union Bay, which was opposite to Prospect Heights, from Cape Mandible to Claw Cape.
The horizon was beautifully clear, and the sea, undulating under a soft breeze, was as calm as the waters of a lake, sparkling here and there under the sun's rays.
The apparatus68 had been placed at one of the windows of the dining-room at Granite House, and consequently overlooked the shore and the bay. Herbert proceeded as he was accustomed to do, and the negative obtained, he went away to fix it by means of the chemicals deposited in a dark nook of Granite House.
Returning to the bright light, and examining it well, Herbert perceived on his negative an almost imperceptible little spot on the sea horizon. He endeavored to make it disappear by reiterated69 washing, but could not accomplish it.
"It is a flaw in the glass," he thought.
And then he had the curiosity to examine this flaw with a strong magnifier which he unscrewed from one of the telescopes.
But he had scarcely looked at it, when he uttered a cry, and the glass almost fell from his hands.
Immediately running to the room in which Cyrus Harding then was, he extended the negative and magnifier towards the engineer, pointing out the little spot.
Harding examined it; then seizing his telescope he rushed to the window.
The telescope, after having slowly swept the horizon, at last stopped on the looked-for spot, and Cyrus Harding, lowering it, pronounced one word only,--
"A vessel!"
And in fact a vessel was in sight, off Lincoln Island!
事情正象潘克洛夫意料的那样发生了，他的预言是很少错误的。风愈刮愈大，很快就由微风一变而为正式的暴风了；它的速度达到每小时四十到四十五英里，船如在海里遇到这种风，即使紧收着中桅的帆，也会象飞似的前进的，乘风破浪号在将近六点钟的时候到了港湾口，可是这时候潮势变了，因此它不能入港。于是他们只好与海岸保持一定距离；以当时的情况来说，即使潘克洛夫想到慈悲河口去，也办不到了。他把三角帆升在主桅的顶上，当作暴风帆，使船停下来，船头对着陆地。
风势虽紧，好在有陆地挡着，波涛并不太高，因此，他们就不必顾虑经常威胁小船的海浪了。乘风破浪号的压仓情况良好；所以绝不会翻船；不过，如果有大量的海水打到甲板上来，船骨经受不起，还是可能被打坏的。潘克洛夫是一个经验丰富的水手，他什么都防备到了。当然，他对自己的船很有把握，然而他还是带着几分焦急的心情，等待着天明。
这一夜，赛勒斯.史密斯和吉丁.史佩莱没有机会谈话，可是工程师在通讯记者耳边所说的那件事，以及笼罩着林肯岛的神秘力量，却是很值得讨论一下的。吉丁.史佩莱不断考虑这件新的、不可思议的怪事——荒岛的海滨上竟出现了野火。火的的确确是看见了！而且是他和赫伯特、潘克洛夫一起看见的！那堆火在黑夜中标志了林肯岛的方位，他们始终认为火是工程师点的；然而现在赛勒斯.史密斯却一口咬定他绝没有做过这样的事情！史佩莱决定等乘风破浪号回去以后，立刻重新研究，并且主张让赛勒斯.史密斯把这些怪事告诉伙伴们。也许大家会决定共同在林肯岛的所有各处进行一次彻底的搜查。
不管怎么样，这天晚上，在港湾入口处的陌生海岸上并没有出现野火，小船整夜停泊在海面上。
当东方的水平线上曙光初现的时候，风势稍微减弱了一些，改变了两个方位，这就使潘克洛夫进入狭港容易得多了。早上将近七点钟的时候，乘风破浪号向北颚角的上风头开去，穿过海峡，在海面上滑行着，这里四面都是奇形怪状的熔岩峭壁。
“嗯，”潘克洛夫说，“这个海湾是停船的好地方，容纳一整个舰队还能宽绰有余！”
“实在奇怪，”史密斯说，“这个港湾是由两道火山喷发的岩浆凝结成的，一定经过好几次的爆发，才累积成这个样子。结果把港湾四面都挡住了，我相信即使在暴风雨最猛烈的时候，这儿也会和湖里一样平静的。”
“当然，”水手说，“这里只有两个海角夹成的隘路透风，并且北面的海角还遮蔽着南面的海角，风要想刮进来是很难的。我敢说我们的乘风破浪号在这里整整停上一年，它的锚也不会动一动！”
“这个港湾对它说来，嫌太大了！”通讯记者说。
“不错！史佩莱先生，”水手说，“我也认为只停泊乘风破浪号，这个港湾是大了些，可是如果美国舰队想在太平洋里找一个军港，我想再也找不到比这儿更好的地方了！”
“我们在鲨鱼的嘴里呢。”纳布提到港湾的样子说。
“正朝着它嘴里走呢，我的好纳布！”赫伯特说，“你怕它把嘴闭起来，不让我们出去吗？”
“不怕，赫伯特先生，”纳布答道，“可是我不大喜欢这个港湾！它的样子好难看！”
“你们瞧！”潘克洛夫大声说，“我正打算把这个港湾献给美国，纳布却瞧不起它！”
“别的先不谈，这里的水够深吗？”工程师问道，“对乘风破浪号够深，对我们的装甲舰却不一定够。”
“这很容易知道。”潘克洛夫回答说。
于是水手在一根长绳子上绑住一块铁，作为铅垂线，进行测量。这根绳子几乎有五十寻长，然而全放下去以后，还碰不到底。
“瞧！”潘克洛夫叫道，“我们的装甲舰可以来了！它们不至于搁浅！”
“的确，”吉丁.史佩莱说，“这个港湾是个无底洞，要知道海岛既然是火山爆发形成的，那么港里有这样的深渊就不足为奇了。”
“这些峭壁准是笔直的，”赫伯特说，“我相信即使潘克洛夫用一根比刚才那根长五六倍的绳子，也不会碰到峭壁底下的海底的。”
“这都不错，”通讯记者接着说，“可是潘克洛夫，有一点我要告诉你，这个港湾有一个很大的缺点！”
“什么缺点，史佩莱先生？”
“少一个通到荒岛内陆去的豁口，或是通路。我找不到一个可以登陆的地方。”
不错，熔岩所形成的峭壁上没有一处适合登岸的地方。峭壁形成一道不能超越的障碍，看见它就会使人联想起挪威的峡湾，只是这里显得更荒凉更冷落罢了。乘风破浪号尽量贴近断岩前进，但是连一块可以供旅客们登岸的堤埂也没有发现。
潘克洛夫只好安慰自己说，必要的时候，只需一个地雷，很快就可以在峭壁上炸出一个缺口来；他们在港湾里呆着，显然没有任何事情可做，于是水手就把船头调向海峡，下午两点钟左右，他们穿出了港湾。
“唉！”纳布这才轻松地舒了一口气。
忠实的黑人在那张大嘴里，的确感到很不舒服。
颚骨角离慈悲河口不到八英里。乘风破浪号船头对着“花岗石宫”，一阵微风鼓起船帆，它在离岸一海里的海面上飞快地向前驶去了。
巨大的熔岩峭壁过去以后，不久就到了形状奇特的沙丘地带，工程师就是在这里莫名其妙地得救的；这一带常常有成万的海鸥飞来。
大约四点钟，潘克洛夫驾船从小岛的地岬向右驶去，进入了小岛和海岸之间的海峡，五点钟的时候，乘风破浪号在慈悲河口的沙滩上抛锚了。
移民们和他们的住宅阔别了三天。艾尔通在海滩上等待着他们，杰普也兴高采烈地跟来迎接了，它低声叫着，表示高兴。
现在，荒岛的沿岸已经全部搜索过了，然而并没有发现任何可疑的地方。如果有什么神秘的东西住在荒岛上，他只可能隐藏在盘蛇半岛的不可穿透的森林底下，因为只有那里移民们还没有去搜查过。
吉丁.史佩莱和工程师讨论了这些情况以后，他们决定让伙伴们注意岛上发生过的怪事，在所有这些怪事之中，最近发生的一件最令人感到无法理解。
可是，谈到海岸上有外人点火的问题，史密斯止不住又要问——差不多已经问了二十遍了——通讯记者：
“你肯定看到火了吗，是不是火山的局部爆发，或者是什么流星呢？”
“不是的，赛勒斯，”通讯记者答道；“千真万确是人点的火。不信你可以问潘克洛夫和赫伯特。他们和我同样看见的，他们可以证明我的话。”
因此，又过了几天，4月25日晚上，当居民们都聚在眺望岗上的时候，赛勒斯.史密斯开始向大家说：
“朋友们，我觉得我有责任提请你们注意岛上所发生的一些事情，希望大家能对这个问题提出自己的看法。这些事情，说起来是神奇的……”
“神奇！”水手喷了一口烟，叫道。“我们的岛上真能有神奇的事情吗？”
“不，潘克洛夫，不过可以肯定地说，是神秘的，”工程师答道；“除非你能解答史佩莱和我到现在还弄不明白的问题。”
“你说吧，史密斯先生。”水手说。
“好吧，”于是工程师说，“你明白不明白，我掉在海里以后，怎么会到四分之一英里以外的内陆来的，同时自己竟一点儿也不知道？”
“也许是当时失去了知觉……”潘克洛夫说。
“这是讲不通的，”工程师说。“还有，你们当时住的‘石窟’离我躺的山洞有五英里远，托普怎么能找到那里去的，你知道吗？”
“狗的直觉……”赫伯特说。
“这种直觉也太奇怪了！”通讯记者说；“再说，当天夜里狂风暴雨一直也没有停，可是托普到‘石窟’的时候，身上却很干，并且一点泥也没有！”
“我们接着谈，”工程师又说。“托普在湖里和儒艮进行了一场搏斗以后，怎么会莫名其妙地被抛到水面上来的，你们明白吗？”
“不明白！我承认，一点也不明白，”潘克洛夫答道；“还有儒艮侧面受的伤，那好象是被什么利器割伤的，这件事我也不明白。”
“还有，”史密斯说。“小西瑞身上怎么会有一颗枪弹的；没有遇难船只的遗迹，怎么会有一只箱子好好地搁在海滩上的；装着纸条的瓶子怎么偏偏在我们试航的时候出现；正在我们需要船只的时候，为什么我们的平底船那么巧断了绳子，又那么巧从慈悲河上漂到我们身边来；在猿猴侵袭我们以后，软梯怎么会那么巧地从‘花岗石宫’上面落下来；最后，艾尔通一口咬定他从来也没有写过的纸条，怎么会跑到我们手里来的；这些问题你们都明白吗？”
当赛勒斯.史密斯在一件一件地列举着荒岛上发生过的这些怪事时，赫伯特、纳布和潘克洛夫都你瞧着我，我瞧着你，不知道应该怎样回答，这一系列的事情，今天是头一次被归纳在一起，他们听了以后，不由地感到十分惊讶。
“不错，”潘克洛夫到底承认了，“你说得对，史密斯先生，所有这些事情都很难解释！”
“还有，朋友们，”工程师接着说，“最近又添了一件事情，比起以前那些事情来，恐怕更要离奇！”
“什么事，史密斯先生？”赫伯特马上问道?
芭丝寺宸颍惫こ淌幼潘担澳阍倒蹦忝谴哟锉У夯乩吹氖焙颍挚系荷铣鱿止艋穑锹穑俊?
“当然。”水手答道。
“你能肯定你确实看见这堆火了吗？”
“当然能肯定，那天看见火光，就好象我现在看见你那样千真万确。”
“你也看见了吗，赫伯特？”
“怎么，史密斯先生，”赫伯特叫道，“那堆火象一等星那么亮呢！”
“可是那是不是一颗星呢？”工程师追问道。
“不是，”潘克洛夫回答说，“当时天上布满了乌云，并且，不论怎么说，星星也不会低到水平线上来呀。史佩莱先生和我们同样看见的，他可以证实我们的话。”
“我再补充一句，”通讯记者说，“就是火光非常亮，象一片闪电似的。”
“是的，是的！一点也不错，”赫伯特附和着说，“看起来一定是点在‘花岗石宫’的高岗上的。”
“好吧，朋友们，”赛勒斯.史密斯说，“10月19日那天夜里，纳布和我都没有在海滨上点过火。”
“你没有点过火？”潘克洛夫这一下吃惊不小，连话也说不下去了。
“我们没有离开‘花岗石宫’，”赛勒斯.史密斯说，“如果看见海滨上有火，那准是别人点的！”
潘克洛夫、赫伯特和纳布都楞住了。这决不是看花了眼；他们的确在10月19日夜里看见过一堆篝火。
是的，他们不得不承认，这里存在着秘密！每当林肯岛遇到紧要关头的时候，就有一种不可思议的力量在起作用，这种力量肯定是在帮助移民们，然而却激起了他们的好奇心。会不会有什么东西藏在最隐蔽的地方呢？必须不惜任何代价证实这一点。
史密斯还向伙伴们提起一件事，托普和杰普有时奇怪地在沟通“花岗石宫”和大海的井口旁边来回乱走，工程师告诉大家，他曾经探索过井底，可是没有发现任何可疑的东西。经过这一次谈话，小队全体决定，等到季节转暖以后，他们就立刻搜查一下整个的荒岛。
可是，从这一天起，潘克洛夫就显得坐立不安起来了。他曾经认为荒岛是自己的私有财产，现在他却觉得似乎这份财产已经不完全属于自己，而是和另外一个主人共有的了，而且不管水手愿不愿意，他息觉得自己在受这个人的支配。纳布和他常常谈起这些无法解释的事情，由于他们一向疑神疑鬼，他们简直就要认为有什么超凡的力量在暗中统治着林肯岛了。
从五月份起——也就是北半球的十一月——天气转坏了。看起来今年的冬季一定冷，而且来得要早些。于是他们立刻开始准备过冬。
虽然冬天将要相当冷，可是移民们已经准备得很好了。这时候摩弗仑羊的数目已经很多，供应着大量制造毡子所必需的羊毛，他们做成了许多这种温暖织料的衣服。
不用说，他们也给艾尔通准备了一套这种舒适的衣服。赛勒斯.史密斯向他建议到“花岗石宫”来和他们一起过冬，因为在这里居住要比畜栏舒服；艾尔通答应等畜栏里的工作完毕以后立刻就来。四月中旬，他搬过来了。从此，艾尔通和大家共同过着集体的生活，在任何场合，他都尽到自己的力量，然而他还是那样谦恭而忧郁，不能和伙伴们在一起有说有笑。
居民们在林肯岛上的第三个冬天，大部分是在“花岗石宫”里度过的。有好几次狂风暴雨，好象把他们的基石都震动了。滔天的巨浪仿佛要漫过整个的海岛，不管什么样的船只，只要停泊在岸边；一定会被撞得粉碎。在某一次风暴里，慈悲河泛滥起来的洪水，有两次几乎把桥梁都要冲走了，每当怒潮冲击海滩的时候，扬起一片水花，堤岸被掩盖得看不见了，因此必须加固岸上的桥身。
这种暴风雨和夹着雨雪的龙卷风差不多，眺望岗的高地上被风暴酿成极大的灾害，这是可以想象的。磨坊和家禽场的损失尤其重大。移民们往往不得不马上把它修理好，要不然家禽的安全就会受到严重的威胁。
在天气最坏的时候，曾经有几只美洲豹和成群的猿猴闯到高地的边缘来，这些灵活和胆大的野兽，被饥饿所迫，是可能跳过河来的，特别是在河水结冰的时候，要过来很容易；这一点很使居民们担心。如果没有人经常守望，它们一旦过来以后，农作物和家畜就难免要遭殃了，因此往往要用枪来接待这些危险的客人，不让它们走近。这一冬移民们并不缺少活计干，除了户外的不算，他们总有上千条的计划，来装备他们的“花岗石宫”。
遇到下霜的日子，他们也曾经到宽广的潦凫沼地去打过几次猎。这里有无数的野鸭、鹬、短颈野鸭和其他的水禽，吉丁.史佩莱和赫伯特在杰普和托普的配合下，向来是百发百中。猎人们到这一带猎场去比较方便；不管跨过慈悲河桥，从通向气球港的大路去也好，还是从遗物角绕过峭壁去也好，离“花岗石宫”都不过只有二三英里。
冬季的四个月——六月、七月、八月和九月，就这样度过了，在这期间天气的确是够冷的。可是，总的来说，“花岗石宫”并没有受到风暴多大威胁，畜栏也是一样，由于它不象高地那样暴露在外面，有富兰克林山遮挡着一部分，前面又有森林和海岸的峭壁，因此袭击过来的风暴已经很微弱了。那里的损失很小，十月间艾尔通回到畜栏里去暂住了几天，他动作快，手艺好，不多久就把损坏的地方全修理好了。
在这个冬天，没有发生什么新鲜的怪事。虽然潘克洛夫和纳布哪怕是遇到最不值得一提的小事，也要联想一下是不是有神秘的来源，然而还是没有什么怪事发生。托普和杰普不再逗留在井边了，也不显得有什么不安。看起来这一系列的怪事似乎中断了，不过晚上他们还是常常在“花岗石宫”里谈起这些事情，而且他们要彻底搜查一下荒岛的决定并没有改变，连最难探索的地方也不想放过。就在这时候，一件十分重要的事情使得赛勒斯.史密斯和他的伙伴暂时改变他们的计划，这件事情，也许会产生非常可怕的后果的。
这时候是十月。转眼之间，就要大地回春了。大自然在苏醒，森林的边缘是松柏科的常绿树，其中的山茂、喜马拉雅杉和一些别的树，已经长出了嫩叶。
大家也许还记得，吉丁.史佩莱和赫伯特在林肯岛上拍摄风景照片已经不止一次了。
10月17日下午，将近三点钟的时候，晴朗的天气引诱着赫伯特，他想拍一张联合湾的风景照片，联合湾就在眺望岗的对面，它一头是颚骨角，一头是爪角。
水平线上清晰动人，大海和湖面一样平静，只是在和风的吹拂下，微微激起涟漪，阳光闪耀着，到处反射出片片银光。
照相机依托在“花岗石宫”里餐厅的一个窗口上，俯瞰着海岸和整个的港湾。赫伯特按照通常的方法拍下这个镜头，底片感光以后，他就到一个阴暗的角落里用药品去定影了。
然后他又回到亮处来，仔细观看，赫伯特发现底片的海平线上有一个看不清楚的小黑点。他反复洗几次，打算把它去掉，可是洗不掉。
“这是镜头上的斑点。”他这样想。
可是由于好奇心的驱使，他从望远镜上拧下一个倍数很大的放大镜来，打算仔细看一下这个斑点。
他刚刚看下去，马上就大喊一声，放大镜几乎从手里掉下来。
他立刻跑到赛勒斯.史密斯那里，把底片和放大镜递给工程师，指着底片上的小黑点。
史密斯细看了一下，然后抓起望远镜就冲到窗口。
望远镜慢慢地扫过水平线，最后停在所要找的那一点上，赛勒斯.史密斯放下望远镜，只说了一句：
“一只船！”
果然，在离开林肯岛不远的地方，有一只船停在那里！
