the ladder," cried the sailor; "who can the gentleman
have been who sent us that down?"

But at that moment a cry was heard, and a great orang, who had hidden
himself in the passage, rushed into the room, pursued by Neb.

"Ah the robber!" cried Pencroft.

And hatchet in hand, he was about to cleave the head of the animal,
when Cyrus Harding seized his arm, saying,--

"Spare him, Pencroft."

"Pardon this rascal?"

"Yes! it was he who threw us the ladder!"

And the engineer said this in such a peculiar voice that it was
difficult to know whether he spoke seriously or not.

Nevertheless, they threw themselves on the orang, who defended himself
gallantly, but was soon overpowered and bound.

"There!" said Pencroft. "And what shall we make of him, now we've got
him?"

"A servant!" replied Herbert.

The lad was not joking in saying this, for he knew how this
intelligent race could be turned to account.

The settlers then approached the ape and gazed at it attentively. He
belonged to the family of anthropoid apes, of which the facial angle
is not much inferior to that of the Australians and Hottentots. It was
an orang-outang, and as such, had neither the ferocity of the gorilla,
nor the stupidity of the baboon. It is to this family of the
anthropoid apes that so many characteristics belong which prove them
to be possessed of an almost human intelligence. Employed in houses,
they can wait at table, sweep rooms, brush clothes, clean boots,
handle a knife, fork, and spoon properly, and even drink wine,...
doing everything as well as the best servant that ever walked upon two
legs. Buffon possessed one of these apes, who served him for a long
time as a faithful and zealous servant.

[Illustration: CAPTURING THE ORANG]

The one which had been seized in the hall of Granite House was a great
fellow, six feet high, with an admirably proportioned frame, a broad
chest, head of a moderate size, the facial angle reaching sixty-five
degrees, round skull, projecting nose, skin covered with soft glossy
hair, in short, a fine specimen of the anthropoids. His eyes, rather
smaller than human eyes, sparkled with intelligence, his white teeth
glittered under his moustache, and he wore a little curly brown beard.

"A handsome fellow!" said Pencroft; "if we only knew his language, we
could talk to him."

"But, master," said Neb, "are you serious? Are we going to take him as
a servant?"

"Yes, Neb," replied the engineer, smil