y, rightly wishing to wait
until the limits of the plateau should be settled by the projected
works. Top and Jup were good friends and played willingly together,
but Jup did everything solemnly.

On the 20th of November the bridge was finished. The movable part,
balanced by the counterpoise, swung easily, and only a slight effort
was needed to raise it; between its hinge and the last cross-bar on
which it rested when closed, there existed a space of twenty feet,
which was sufficiently wide to prevent any animals from crossing.

The settlers now began to talk of fetching the balloon-case, which
they were anxious to place in perfect security; but to bring it, it
would be necessary to take a cart to Port Balloon, and consequently,
necessary to beat a road through the dense forests of the Far West.
This would take some time. Also, Neb and Pencroft having gone to
examine into the state of things at Port Balloon, and reported that
the stock of cloth would suffer no damage in the grotto where it was
stored, it was decided that the work at Prospect Heights should not be
discontinued.

"That," observed Pencroft, "will enable us to establish our
poultry-yard under better conditions, since we need have no fear of
visits from foxes nor the attacks of other beasts."

"Then," added Neb, "we can clear the plateau, and transplant wild
plants to it."

"And prepare our second cornfield!" cried the sailor with a triumphant
air.

In fact, the first cornfield sown with a single grain had prospered
admirably, thanks to Pencroft's care. It had produced the ten ears
foretold by the engineer, and each ear containing eighty grains, the
colony found itself in possession of eight hundred grains, in six
months, which promised a double harvest each year.

These eight hundred grains, except fifty, which were prudently
reserved, were to be sown in a new field, but with no less care than
was bestowed on the single grain.

The field was prepared, then surrounded with a strong palisade, high
and pointed, which quadrupeds would have found difficulty in leaping.
As to birds, some scarecrows, due to Pencroft's ingenious brain, were
enough to frighten them. The seven hundred and fifty grains, deposited
in very regular furrows, were then left for nature to do the rest.

On the 21st of November, Cyrus Harding began to plan the canal which
was to close the plateau on the west, from the south angle of Lake
Grant to the angle of the Mercy. There was t