"She has blown up!" cried Herbert.
"Yes! blown up, just as if Ayrton had set fire to the powder!" returned Pencroft, throwing himself into the lift together with Neb and the lad.
"But what has happened?" asked Gideon Spilett, quite stunned1 by this unexpected catastrophe2.
"Oh! this time, we shall know--" answered the engineer quickly.
"What shall we know?--"
"Later! later! Come, Spilett. The main point is that these pirates have been exterminated3!"
And Cyrus Harding, hurrying away the reporter and Ayrton, joined Pencroft, Neb, and Herbert on the beach.
Nothing could be seen of the brig, not even her masts. After having been raised by the water-spout, she had fallen on her side, and had sunk in that position, doubtless in consequence of some enormous leak. But as in that place the channel was not more than twenty feet in depth, it was certain that the sides of the submerged brig would reappear at low water.
A few things from the wreck4 floated on the surface of the water, a raft could be seen consisting of spare spars, coops of poultry5 with their occupants still living, boxes and barrels, which gradually came to the surface, after having escaped through the hatchways, but no pieces of the wreck appeared, neither planks6 from the deck, nor timber from the hull7,-- which rendered the sudden disappearance8 of the "Speedy" perfectly9 inexplicable10.
However, the two masts, which had been broken and escaped from the shrouds11 and stays came up, and with their sails, some furled and the others spread. But it was not necessary to wait for the tide to bring up these riches, and Ayrton and Pencroft jumped into the boat with the intention of towing the pieces of wreck either to the beach or to the islet. But just as they were shoving off, an observation from Gideon Spilett arrested them.
"What about those six convicts who disembarked on the right bank of the Mercy?" said he.
In fact, it would not do to forget that the six men whose boat had gone to pieces on the rocks had landed at Flotsam Point.
They looked in that direction. None of the fugitives13 were visible. It was probable that, having seen their vessel14 engulfed15 in the channel, they had fled into the interior of the island.
"We will deal with them later," said Harding. "As they are armed, they will still be dangerous; but as it is six against six, the chances are equal. To the most pressing business first."
Ayrton and Pencroft pulled vigorously towards the wreck.
The sea was calm and the tide very high, as there had been a new moon but two days before. A whole hour at least would elapse before the hull of the brig could emerge from the water of the channel.
Ayrton and Pencroft were able to fasten the masts and spars by means of ropes, the ends of which were carried to the beach. There, by the united efforts of the settlers the pieces of wreck were hauled up. Then the boat picked up all that was floating, coops, barrels, and boxes, which were immediately carried to the Chimneys.
Several bodies floated also. Among them, Ayrton recognized that of Bob Harvey, which he pointed17 out to his companion, saying with some emotion,--
"That is what I have been, Pencroft."
"But what you are no longer, brave Ayrton!" returned the sailor warmly.
It was singular enough that so few bodies floated. Only five or six were counted, which were already being carried by the current towards the open sea. Very probably the convicts had not had time to escape, and the ship lying over on her side, the greater number of them had remained below. Now the current, by carrying the bodies of these miserable18 men out to sea, would spare the colonists19 the sad task of burying them in some corner of their island.
For two hours, Cyrus Harding and his companions were solely20 occupied in hauling up the spars on to the sand, and then in spreading the sails which were perfectly uninjured, to dry. They spoke21 little, for they were absorbed in their work, but what thoughts occupied their minds!
The possession of this brig, or rather all that she contained, was a perfect mine of wealth. In fact, a ship is like a little world in miniature, and the stores of the colony would be increased by a large number of useful articles. It would be, on a large scale, equivalent to the chest found at Flotsam Point.
"And besides," thought Pencroft, "why should it be impossible to refloat the brig? If she has only a leak, that may be stopped up; a vessel from three to four hundred tons, why she is a regular ship compared to our 'Bonadventure'! And we could go a long distance in her! We could go anywhere we liked! Captain Harding, Ayrton and I must examine her! She would be well worth the trouble!"
In fact, if the brig was still fit to navigate22, the colonists' chances of returning to their native land were singularly increased. But, to decide this important question, it was necessary to wait until the tide was quite low, so that every part of the brig's hull might be examined.
When their treasures had been safely conveyed on shore, Harding and his companions agreed to devote some minutes to breakfast. They were almost famished23; fortunately, the larder24 was not far off, and Neb was noted25 for being an expeditious26 cook. They breakfasted, therefore, near the Chimneys, and during their repast, as may be supposed, nothing was talked of but the event which had so miraculously28 saved the colony.
"Miraculous27 is the word," repeated Pencroft, "for it must be acknowledged that those rascals29 blew up just at the right moment! Granite30 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! Convicts are not sailors. Of course the powder-magazine was open, and as they were firing incessantly31, some careless or clumsy fellow just blew up the vessel!"
"Captain Harding," said Herbert, "what astonishes me is that the explosion has not produced more effect. The report was not loud, and besides there are so few planks and timbers torn out. It seems as if the ship had rather foundered32 than blown up."
"Does that astonish you, my boy?" asked the engineer.
"Yes, captain."
"And it astonishes me also, Herbert," replied he, "but when we visit the hull of the brig, we shall no doubt find the explanation of the matter."
"Why, captain," said Pencroft, "you don't suppose that the 'Speedy' simply foundered like a ship which has struck on a rock?"
"Why not," observed Neb, "if there are rocks in the channel?"
"Nonsense, Neb," answered Pencroft, "you did not look at the right moment. An instant before she sank, the brig, as I saw perfectly well, rose on an enormous wave, and fell back on her larboard side. Now, if she had only struck, she would have sunk quietly and gone to the bottom like an honest vessel."
"It was just because she was not an honest vessel!" returned Neb.
"Well, we shall soon see, Pencroft," said the engineer.
"We shall soon see," rejoined the sailor, "but I would wager33 my head there are no rocks in the channel. Look here, captain, to speak candidly34, do you mean to say that there is anything marvelous in the occurrence?"
Cyrus Harding did not answer.
"At any rate," said Gideon Spilett, "whether rock or explosion, you will agree, Pencroft, that it occurred just in the nick of time!"
"Yes! yes!" replied the sailor, "but that is not the question. I ask Captain Harding if he sees anything supernatural in all this."
"I cannot say, Pencroft," said the engineer. "That is all the answer I can make."
A reply which did not satisfy Pencroft at all. He stuck to "an explosion," and did not wish to give it up. He would never consent to admit that in that channel, with its fine sandy bed, just like the beach, which he had often crossed at low water, there could be an unknown rock.
And besides, at the time the brig foundered, it was high water, that is to say, there was enough water to carry the vessel clear over any rocks which would not be uncovered at low tide. Therefore, there could not have been a collision. Therefore, the vessel had not struck. So she had blown up.
And it must be confessed that the sailor's arguments were reasonable.
Towards half-past one, the colonists embarked12 in the boat to visit the wreck. It was to be regretted that the brig's two boats had not been saved; but one, as has been said, had gone to pieces at the mouth of the Mercy, and was absolutely useless; the other had disappeared when the brig went down, and had not again been seen, having doubtless been crushed.
The hull of the "Speedy" was just beginning to issue from the water. The brig was lying right over on her side, for her masts being broken, pressed down by the weight of the ballast displaced by the shock, the keel was visible along her whole length. She had been regularly turned over by the inexplicable but frightful35 submarine action, which had been at the same time manifested by an enormous water-spout.
The settlers rowed round the hull, and in proportion as the tide went down, they could ascertain36, if not the cause which had occasioned the catastrophe, at least the effect produced.
Towards the bows, on both sides of the keel, seven or eight feet from the beginning of the stem, the sides of the brig were frightfully torn. Over a length of at least twenty feet there opened two large leaks, which would be impossible to stop up. Not only had the copper37 sheathing38 and the planks disappeared, reduced, no doubt, to powder, but also the ribs39, the iron bolts, and treenalls which united them. From the entire length of the hull to the stern the false keel had been separated with an unaccountable violence, and the keel itself, torn from the carline in several places, was split in all its length.
"I've a notion!" exclaimed Pencroft, "that this vessel will be difficult to get afloat again."
"It will be impossible," said Ayrton.
"At any rate," observed Gideon Spilett to the sailor, "the explosion, if there has been one, has produced singular effects! It has split the lower part of the hull, instead of blowing up the deck and topsides! These great rents appear rather to have been made by a rock than by the explosion of a powder-magazine."
"There is not a rock in the channel!" answered the sailor. "I will admit anything you like, except the rock."
"Let us try to penetrate40 into the interior of the brig," said the engineer; "perhaps we shall then know what to think of the cause of her destruction."
This was the best thing to be done, and it was agreed, besides, to take an inventory41 of all the treasures on board, and to arrange their preservation42.
Access to the interior of the brig was now easy. The tide was still going down and the deck was practicable. The ballast, composed of heavy masses of iron, had broken through in several places. The noise of the sea could be heard as it rushed out at the holes in the hull.
Cyrus Harding and his companions, hatchets43 in hand, advanced along the shattered deck. Cases of all sorts encumbered44 it, and, as they had been but a very short time in the water, their contents were perhaps uninjured.
They then busied themselves in placing all this cargo45 in safety. The water would not return for several hours, and these hours must be employed in the most profitable way. Ayrton and Pencroft had, at the entrance made in the hull, discovered tackle, which would serve to hoist46 up the barrels and chests. The boat received them and transported them to the shore. They took the articles as they came, intending to sort them afterwards.
At any rate, the settlers saw at once, with extreme satisfaction, that the brig possessed47 a very varied48 cargo--an assortment49 of all sorts of articles, utensils50, manufactured goods, and tools--such as the ships which make the great coasting-trade of Polynesia are usually laden51 with. It was probable that they would find a little of everything, and they agreed that it was exactly what was necessary for the colony of Lincoln Island.
However--and Cyrus Harding observed it in silent astonishment--not only, as has been said, had the hull of the brig enormously suffered from the shock, whatever it was, that had occasioned the catastrophe, but the interior arrangements had been destroyed, especially towards the bows. Partitions and stanchions were smashed, as if some tremendous shell had burst in the interior of the brig. The colonists could easily go fore16 and aft, after having removed the cases as they were extricated52. They were not heavy bales, which would have been difficult to remove, but simple packages, of which the stowage, besides, was no longer recognizable.
The colonists then reached the stern of the brig--the part formerly53 surmounted54 by the poop. It was there that, following Ayrton's directions, they must look for the powder-magazine. Cyrus Harding thought that it had not exploded; that it was possible some barrels might be saved, and that the powder, which is usually enclosed in metal coverings might not have suffered from contact with the water.
This, in fact, was just what had happened. They extricated from among a large number of shot twenty barrels, the insides of which were lined with copper. Pencroft was convinced by the evidence of his own eyes that the destruction of the "Speedy" could not be attributed to an explosion. That part of the hull in which the magazine was situated55 was, moreover, that which had suffered least.
"It may be so," said the obstinate56 sailor; "but as to a rock, there is not one in the channel!"
"Then, how did it happen?" asked Herbert.
"I don't know," answered Pencroft, "Captain Harding doesn't know, and nobody knows or ever will know!"
Several hours had passed during these researches, and the tide began to flow. Work must be suspended for the present. There was no fear of the brig being carried away by the sea, for she was already fixed57 as firmly as if moored58 by her anchors.
They could, therefore, without inconvenience, wait until the next day to resume operations; but, as to the vessel itself, she was doomed59, and it would be best to hasten to save the remains60 of her hull, as she would not be long in disappearing in the quicksands of the channel.
It was now five o'clock in the evening. It had been a hard day's work for the men. They ate with good appetite, and notwithstanding their fatigue61, they could not resist, after dinner, their desire of inspecting the cases which composed the cargo of the "Speedy."
Most of them contained clothes, which, as may be believed, was well received. There were enough to clothe a whole colony--linen for every one's use, shoes for every one's feet.
"We are too rich!" exclaimed Pencroft, "But what are we going to do with all this?"
And every moment burst forth62 the hurrahs of the delighted sailor when he caught sight of the barrels of gunpowder63, firearms and sidearms, balls of cotton, implements64 of husbandry, carpenter's, joiner's, and blacksmith's tools, and boxes of all kinds of seeds, not in the least injured by their short sojourn65 in the water. Ah, two years before, how these things would have been prized! And now, even though the industrious66 colonists had provided themselves with tools, these treasures would find their use.
There was no want of space in the store-rooms of Granite House, but that daytime would not allow them to stow away the whole. It would not do also to forget that the six survivors67 of the "Speedy's" crew had landed on the island, for they were in all probability scoundrels of the deepest dye, and it was necessary that the colonists should be on their guard against them. Although the bridges over the Mercy were raised, the convicts would not be stopped by a river or a stream and, rendered desperate, these wretches68 would be capable of anything.
They would see later what plan it would be best to follow; but in the meantime it was necessary to mount guard over cases and packages heaped up near the Chimneys, and thus the settlers employed themselves in turn during the night.
The morning came, however, without the convicts having attempted any attack. Master Jup and Top, on guard at the foot of Granite House, would have quickly given the alarm. The three following day--the 19th, 20th, and 21st of October--were employed in saving everything of value, or of any use whatever, either from the cargo or rigging of the brig. At low tide they overhauled69 the hold--at high tide they stowed away the rescued articles. A great part of the copper sheathing had been torn from the hull, which every day sank lower. But before the sand had swallowed the heavy things which had fallen through the bottom, Ayrton and Pencroft, diving to the bed of the channel, recovered the chains and anchors of the brig, the iron of her ballast, and even four guns, which, floated by means of empty casks, were brought to shore.
It may be seen that the arsenal70 of the colony had gained by the wreck, as well as the storerooms of Granite House. Pencroft, always enthusiastic in his projects, already spoke of constructing a battery to command the channel and the mouth of the river. With four guns, he engaged to prevent any fleet, "however powerful it might be," from venturing into the waters of Lincoln Island!
In the meantime, when nothing remained of the brig but a useless hulk, bad weather came on, which soon finished her. Cyrus Harding had intended to blow her up, so as to collect the remains on the shore, but a strong gale71 from the northeast and a heavy sea compelled him to economize72 his powder.
In fact, on the night of the 23rd, the hull entirely73 broke up, and some of the wreck was cast up on the beach.
As to the papers on board, it is useless to say that, although he carefully searched the lockers74 of the poop, Harding did not discover any trace of them. The pirates had evidently destroyed everything that concerned either the captain or the owners of the "Speedy," and, as the name of her port was not painted on her counter, there was nothing which would tell them her nationality. However, by the shape of her boats Ayrton and Pencroft believed that the brig was of English build.
A week after the castrophe--or, rather, after the fortunate, though inexplicable, event to which the colony owed its preservation--nothing more could be seen of the vessel, even at low tide. The wreck had disappeared, and Granite House was enriched by nearly all it had contained.
However, the mystery which enveloped75 its strange destruction would doubtless never have been cleared away if, on the 30th of November, Neb, strolling on the beach, had not found a piece of a thick iron cylinder76, bearing traces of explosion. The edges of this cylinder were twisted and broken, as if they had been subjected to the action of some explosive substance.
Neb brought this piece of metal to his master, who was then occupied with his companions in the workshop of the Chimneys.
Cyrus Harding examined the cylinder attentively77, then, turning to Pencroft,--
"You persist, my friend," said he, "in maintaining that the 'Speedy' was not lost in consequence of a collision?"
"Yes, captain," answered the sailor. "You know as well as I do that there are no rocks in the channel."
"But suppose she had run against this piece of iron?" said the engineer, showing the broken cylinder.
"What, that bit of pipe!" exclaimed Pencroft in a tone of perfect incredulity.
"My friends," resumed Harding, "you remember that before she foundered the brig rose on the summit of a regular waterspout?"
"Yes, captain," replied Herbert.
"Well, would you like to know what occasioned that waterspout? It was this," said the engineer, holding up the broken tube.
"That?" returned Pencroft.
"Yes! This cylinder is all that remains of a torpedo78!"
"A torpedo!" exclaimed the engineer's companions.
"And who put the torpedo there?" demanded Pencroft, who did not like to yield.
"All that I can tell you is, that it was not I," answered Cyrus Harding; "but it was there, and you have been able to judge of its incomparable power!"
“船炸了！”赫伯特喊道。
“是的！就象艾尔通点着了火药似的，爆炸了！”潘克洛夫一面说，一面跟纳布和少年一起跳进升降梯。
“这是怎么一回事？”吉丁.史佩莱问道，这个意想不到的结局完全使他楞住了。
“嗯！这回我们可以知道了……”工程师很快地说。
“我们可以知道什么？……”
“别着急！别着急！来吧，史佩莱。主要的是，这些海盗都歼灭了，这是件大事！”
赛勒斯.史密斯催促着通讯记者和艾尔通赶到海滩去，和潘克洛夫、纳布、赫伯特会合在一起。
双桅船整个没有了，连它的桅杆也看不见。它被水柱抛起来，向侧边倒下去，然后就那样沉没了。毫无疑问，这是由于漏水漏的太厉害。可是这一带的海峡不过二十英尺深，可以肯定，在水浅的时候，沉船的船帮还会再露出水面来的。
沉船上的一些东西在水上漂浮着。一个木筏漂出仓口，慢慢地露到海面来，上面有储备着不用的圆材、养鸡的笼子——里面的鸡还活着——箱子和木桶；可是沉船的残骸却看不见，既没有甲板上的木料，也没有船身的肋材，飞快号的突然失踪简直不可思议。
可是船上的两根折断了的桅杆，终于摆脱护桅索和支索，漂了上来，它们上面还挂着帆，有的卷着，有的铺在水面。艾尔通和潘克洛夫不耐烦等潮水把财富带上来，就跳进小船，打算把沉船的残骸拖上海滩或是小岛。可是，正当他们要把小船摇开的时候，吉丁.史佩莱的一句话把他们拦住了。
“那六个在慈悲河右岸登陆的罪犯上哪里去了？”他说。
的确，千万马虎不得，虽然那六个人所乘的船巳经在岩石上撞得粉碎，然而他们却在遗物角登岸了。
居民们向那边望了一会。他们看不到一个亡命之徒。可能他们看见自己的船在海峡里沉没了以后，就逃到荒岛的内陆去了。
“我们将来再对付他们，”史密斯说。“他们还带着武器，遇见他们仍旧有危险，可是现在是六对六，双方的实力都是一样。还是先解决要紧的问题吧。”
艾尔通和潘克洛夫努力向沉船的地方划去。
海面非常平静，两天以前，才逢到新月，正是潮水较高的时候，至少还需要整整一个钟头，双桅船才能露出海峡的水面。
艾尔通和潘克洛夫用绳子缚住桅杆和圆材，把绳子的一端带到海滩上来。在居民们的共同努力之下，沉船的残骸被拉上来了。然后潘克洛夫和艾尔通又驾着小船，把漂浮的东西全捞了起来，其中有鸡笼、木桶和箱子，立刻送到“石窟”去。
水里也浮起几具尸体。艾尔通认出其中有鲍勃.哈维，就指着他，激动地对他的伙伴说：
“过去我也是干他这一行的，潘克洛夫。”
“可是现在你已经洗手不干了，勇敢的艾尔通！”水手热情地说。
浮起来的尸体很少，这的确很奇怪。他们数来数去，一共只有五六具，这些尸体，不久就被海流冲向大海去了。其余的极大部分罪犯很可能是来不及逃出来，船身倒在一边，都留在底下了。现在海流把这些倒楣的家伙的尸体冲出大海，倒免除了移民们一项伤心的任务——把它们埋葬在荒岛上。
赛勒斯.史密斯和他的伙伴们费了两个钟头的工夫，把圆材拖上沙滩来，然后又把船上的帆铺开，打算把它们晾干，这些帆丝毫没有损坏。他们一心一意地进行着工作，很少说话，然而他们脑子里却想得很多！
得到这只双桅船，换句话说，得到船上的一切物品，可以说是添了一笔巨大的财富。的确，一只船就好比是一个小世界，小队的仓库里可以增加许多有用的东西了。它等于在遗物角拾到的那只箱子，不过要更大一些。
“还有，”潘克洛夫心里想，“难道不能让双桅船重新浮起来吗？如果船底只有一个窟窿，那是可以修补好的；这只船有三四百吨重，和我们的乘风破浪号比起来，显得象样得多了！我们可以乘着它到遥远的地方去！我们爱上哪儿就上哪儿！史密斯先生，我一定要和艾尔通去仔细地看一下，在它身上费这一番气力是完全值得的！”
的确，如果双桅船还能航行，那么移民们回国的希望就要大得多了。可是，要决定这个重要的问题，必须等到退潮以后海水很低的时候，因为只有那时候，才能仔细检查整个的船身。
等到把财物安全地运上岸来以后，史密斯和他的伙伴们才同意用几分钟的时间吃早饭。他们都饿得很了，幸而离食品室不远，纳布又是一个厨师中的快手。于是他们就在“石窟”附近吃早饭；不用说就猜得出来，他们在吃饭的时候，谈的尽是小队意外脱离险境的奇迹。
“只能说是奇迹，”潘克洛夫一再说，“那些流氓被炸得真是时候！‘花岗石宫’正受到威胁！”
“你猜得出来吗，潘克洛夫，”通讯记者问道，“究竟是怎么回事，是什么东西引起爆炸的？”
“嗨！史佩莱先生，再简单也没有了，”潘克洛夫回答说，“犯人的船不象军舰上那样有纪律！犯人也不是水手。火药库一定是开着的，他们不停地开火，大概有哪个粗心大意或是笨手笨脚的人，一不留神就使全船爆炸了！”
“史密斯先生，”赫伯特说，“使我感到奇怪的是，爆炸并没有起什么更大的作用。爆炸的声音很小，并且炸坏的木板和肋材又不多。看起来它好家不是炸毁的，而是撞沉的。”
“你觉得这一点奇怪吗，孩子？”工程师问道。
“是的，史密斯先生。”
“我也觉得奇怪，赫伯特，”他说，“可是等我们检查过以后，一定会得到解答的。”
“怎么，史密斯先生，”潘克洛夫说，“你难道认为飞快号是象触礁似的，撞沉下去的吗？”
“如果海峡里有礁石，”纳布说，“这有什么不可能呢？”
“胡说，纳布，”潘克洛夫说，“当时你没有看见。我可看得非常清楚，就在双桅船沉没以前的一刹那，一个大浪把它抛起来，然后它就往左边倒下去了。假如仅仅是触礁，它会象正常的船一样，安安静静地沉到海底去的。”
“就因为它不是一只正常的船！”纳布说。
“算了，我们很快就会知道的，潘克洛夫。”工程师说。
“我们很快就会知道的，”水手随着说，“不过我敢拿我的脑袋打赌，海峡里绝对没有岩石。史密斯先生，我们把话说清楚，你是不是觉得这件事情有些奇怪？”
赛勒斯.史密斯没有回答。
“触礁也好，爆炸也好，”吉丁.史佩莱说，“不管怎么样，潘克洛夫，你应该承认，这件事情正发生在紧要关头上！”
“是的！是的！”水手说，“可是问题不在那儿。我是问史密斯先生看出有什么神怪的地方没有。”
“我说不上来，潘克洛夫，”工程师说。“我只能这样回答你。”
这个回答完全不能使潘克洛夫满意。他一口咬定是“爆炸”，决不肯放弃这个想法。海峡底下铺着一层细沙，就跟沙滩一样，水浅的时候，他经常跨过海峡去，因此，他坚决不同意里面会有什么暗礁。
并且，双桅船沉下去的时候，水势很高，也就是说，即使落潮的时候有岩石露在水面，当时的水量也足够使任何船只浮起来，不致受到岩石的阻碍。因此，触礁是不可能的，船并没有受到撞击，可以肯定它是炸毁的。
必须承认，水手的论点并不是毫无根据。
将近一点半的时候，居民们登上小船去看沉船了。遗憾的是，没有能把双桅船上的两只小船保留下来：有一只已经交代过，在慈悲河口撞得粉碎，完全不能用了；另外一只是与双桅船的下沉同时失踪的，还没有重新露出来，一定也撞坏了。
这时候，飞快号的船身刚露出水面。双桅船歪倒在一边，这是由于它的桅杆全折断了，经过剧烈的震动，压仓的底货改变了位置，使全船失去重心的缘故；它的龙骨整个都能看见。当时海底有一种不可思议的惊人力量把它翻了过来，同时还出现了一股巨大的水柱。
居民们在船的周围划着，随着潮水的下退，他们即使不能证实失事的原因，至少也可以查明产生的后果。
靠近船头部分，离前梢七八英尺的地方，双桅船的龙骨两侧遭到严重的破坏。至少有二十英尺长的一段，两边各开着一个大缺口，要想把这样的窟窿堵住是不可能的。不仅没有了船底的铜包板和木板——毫无疑问，一定是炸成了灰烬——甚至用来连接它们的肋材、铁螺丝和木钉都不见了。一种莫名其妙的力量，使副龙骨和整个的船身从头到尾脱落了下来。龙骨的本身，从纵梁上裂开了好几处，已经完全折断了。
“我想，”潘克洛夫叫道，“这只船很难再浮起来了！”
“那是不可能的。”艾尔通说。
“那些先不说，”吉丁.史佩莱对水手说，“如果真是发生了爆炸，那么这个爆炸的结果也太奇怪了！它炸裂了船底，却没有炸坏甲板和楼顶！这些大窟窿根本不象火药库炸的，倒象是用石头砸的。”
“海峡里一块石头也没有！”水手说。“你说什么我都同意，就是不同意你说石头。”
“我们想法子到船里去吧，”工程师说，“也许进去以后，就可以知道它是怎样遭到破坏的了。”
这是最切实可行的办法，大家都同意了；并且，这样还能把全船的财物清点一下，作一个安排，收藏起来。
现在要进船很容易。潮水还在继续下退，甲板上已经可以走人了。压仓的底货是一些沉重的铁块，已经从几处漏到船壳外面来。海水从船身的窟窿里流出来，发出哗哗的响声。
赛勒斯.史密斯和他的伙伴们拿着斧头，沿着破碎的甲板往前走去。甲板上堆着各种箱子，拦住他们的去路，箱子在水里泡得不算久，也许里面的东西还没有损坏。
居民们忙着把所有的货物放到妥当的地方去。低潮的时候只有几小时，他们必须尽量利用这几个钟头。艾尔通和潘克洛夫在船身的入口处找到一些索具，可以用来把木桶和箱子吊起来。他们把货物装在小船里，运上岸去，马上又回来运各种物件，至于整理工作，打算以后再做。
总的来说，居民们非常满意，因为他们很快就发现双桅船上有着各种各样的货物。正象进行大规模沿海贸易的玻里尼西亚商船一样，它装载着五花八门的物件，器皿、工业品和工具，应有尽有。甚至他们无论要什么东西都能找到一些；大家一致认为这些东西正是林肯岛上的小队所迫切需要的。
然而，赛勒斯.史密斯却在发楞；不仅双桅船的船身遭到极大的损伤——这一点前面已经说过了，至于事故究竟怎样造成的姑且不谈——就连它的内部装置，特别是在靠船头的地方，也都毁坏了。好象曾经有什么极大的炮弹打到双桅船里来似的，隔板和支柱都遭到毁坏。移民们搬开箱子，就很容易从船头走到船尾去。这些箱子不是沉重的大件，而是普通的小件，因此并不难搬；箱子上标明起运地点的字迹，已经看不清了。
于是居民们来到双桅船的船尾，原来这里是舵楼甲板。根据艾尔通的指点，他们应该在这里找火药库。赛勒斯.史密斯认为火药库并没有爆炸，也许还能留下几桶火药，并且，火药通常是有金属封皮包装着的，大概不会受潮。
事实果然是这样。他们从子弹堆里找到二十桶火药，桶里都衬着铜皮。他们小心翼翼地把桶抬了出来。潘克洛夫亲眼看见以后，才相信飞快号不是被炸沉的，而且，火药库所在的这部分船身，所受的损失最小。
“也许不是炸沉的，”顽固的水手说，“可是要说石头，我敢肯定，海峡里一块也没有！”
“那么，事情是怎么发生的呢？”赫伯特问道。
“我不知道，”潘克洛夫回答说，“连史密斯先生都弄不清楚，那就谁也不明白了，而且再也不会有人能明白了！”
他们搜查了几个钟头，潮水开始上涨了。目前必须暂时停止工作。他们不必担心海水把船冲走，因为它已经象抛了锚似的，牢牢地固定在那里了。
因此，等到第二天再进行工作也没有问题；可是船虽然已经失事沉在那里，最好还是赶紧把船里的剩余物资收拾出来，因为它不久就要整个陷到海峡的流沙里去了。
这时候是傍晚五点钟。居民们忙了一天。他们的晚饭吃得津津有味，吃完以后，虽然非常疲倦，大家还是忍不住要把飞快号上的货箱打开来检查一下。
大部分箱子装着衣服，可以想象，它们受到大家一致欢迎。整个小队都够穿了——各种尺码的衣服和鞋子都有。
“我们太阔了！”潘克洛夫叫道。“可是我们怎么处理全部的东西呢？”
水手看见了烈性酒桶、烟叶桶、火器和刀剑、棉花包、耕作用具、木匠细木匠和铁匠的工具，还有许多盒各种各样的种籽，高兴得不住地欢呼，由于在水里的时间不长，这些东西丝毫也没有受潮。要是在两年以前得到这些东西，他们将要怎样的珍惜啊！不过，虽然勤劳的移民们现在已经有了工具，这些宝贝对他们还是有用的。
“花岗石宫”的仓库宽绰得很，可是要想在天黑以前把全部的东西都收拾干净，已经来不及了。并且，还不能忘记，飞快号的六个亡命之徒还在岛上，他们很可能是一群穷凶极恶的匪徒，移民们必须时刻提防他们。慈悲河上的桥都已经扯起来了，然而一条河流或小溪是拦不住这些罪犯的，在走投无路的时候，他们什么都干得出来。
他们不久就可以研究出最妥善的办法来，可是目前却只好在“石窟”附近站岗，因为箱笼物件就堆在那里。于是居民们在夜间轮流值班守卫着。
天亮了，罪犯们并没有来骚扰。杰普和托普守在“花岗石宫”脚下，如果有什么动静，它们会随时报警的。接着，10月19、20、21日，一连三天，他们都在忙着整理东西。不管货物也好，索具也好，每一样值钱的或是有用的东西都保留下来了。落潮的时候，他们检查船仓；涨潮的时候，就整理抢救出来的东西。船身的铜包板已经大部揭下来，船身一天天地往深处陷下去。可是，艾尔通和潘克洛夫不等流沙把从船底漏下去的沉重东西吞没，就潜入海峡的水底，把双桅船的锚链、压仓的铁块都捞上岸来，甚至还有四门炮，这些东西都是利用空桶把它们浮起来的。
很明显，小队的军火库和“花岗石宫”的仓库都由于沉船而充实起来了。潘克洛夫向来很热心订计划，这时候他已经开始盘算在海峡和慈悲河口的上面筑一个炮台了。他打算利用四门大炮，阻挡任何的舰队——“不管有多强大”——进犯林肯岛的领海！
等到双桅船上的东西全都运完，只剩下一个空壳的时候，天气变坏了，一下子就把它消灭得干干净净。赛勒斯.史密斯原来还打算把破船炸开，然后把岸上的残骸收拾一下；可是东北方吹来一阵狂风，加上狂潮一涨，工程师就只好节省些火药了。
23日到24日的夜里，整个的船身都碎散了，一部分残骸被抛到海滩上来。
至于船上的文件，不用说，尽管史密斯仔细搜索尾楼的橱柜，还是丝毫也没有发现。海盗们一定把与飞快号原来的船长和主人有关的标志全销毁了，船尾也没有漆着港口的名称，因此没法知道它的国籍。可是，根据它那两只小船的船型，艾尔通和潘克洛夫都认为这只双桅船是英国制造的。
出事以后的一星期——与其说出事，还不如说是奇妙的好运气，因为移民们就是这样才保全下来的——即使在水浅的时候，也看不见沉船了。船是消失了，但“花岗石宫”却由于接收了船上的全部财产而富裕起来。
然而，要不是由于纳布的缘故，这次神秘的爆炸一定永远也没法解释。10月30日，纳布在海滩上散步的时候，捡到一块铁筒的厚片，上面带有爆炸的痕迹。这块厚铁片的边缘扭得里进外出、残缺不全，样子好象是炸药的爆破搞成的。
纳布把铁片拿给他的主人，当时工程师正同伙伴们在“石窟”的工场里。
赛勒斯.史密斯仔细看了一下铁筒，然后转向潘克洛夫。
“朋友，”他说，“你坚持飞快号不是撞沉的，是吗？”
“是的，史密斯先生，”水手答道。“我们都知道，海峡里是没有礁石的。”
“可是，也许它是撞在这块铁片上的呢？”工程师一面说，一面把破铁筒给他看。
“什么，就这一小块破筒子！”潘克洛夫十分怀疑地叫道。
“朋友们，”史密斯接着说，“你们记得吗，在双桅船沉没以前，曾经有一个水柱把它抛起来？”
“记得，史密斯先生，”赫伯特答道。
“好，你们想知道水柱是怎么掀起来的吗？就是它。”工程师举着破筒子说。
“它？”潘克洛夫说。
“是的！这个铁筒就是水雷的残余！”
“水雷！”工程师的伙伴们都大叫起来。
“那么是谁布的水雷呢？”潘克洛夫问道，他还不能表示同意。
“我只能告诉你，不是我布的，”赛勒斯.史密斯回答说，“可是水雷的残迹就在这儿，你们可以估计它的力量有多大！”
