ich Neb had made with his own hands. There they talked,
they instructed each other, they made plans, and the rough good-humour
of the sailor always amused this little world, in which the most
perfect harmony had never ceased to reign.

They often spoke of their country, of their dear and great America.
What was the result of the War of Secession? It could not have been
greatly prolonged, Richmond had doubtless soon fallen into the hands
of General Grant. The taking of the capital of the Confederates must
have been the last action of this terrible struggle. Now the North had
triumphed in the good cause, how welcome would have been a newspaper
to the exiles in Lincoln Island! For eleven months all communication
between them and the rest of their fellow-creatures had been
interrupted, and in a short time the 24th of March would arrive, the
anniversary of the day on which the balloon had thrown them on this
unknown coast. They were then mere castaways, not even knowing how
they should preserve their miserable lives from the fury of the
elements! And now, thanks to the knowledge of their captain, and their
own intelligence, they were regular colonists, furnished with arms,
tools, and instruments; they had been able to turn to their profit the
animals, plants, and minerals of the island, that is to say, the three
kingdoms of Nature.

Yes; they often talked of all these things and formed still more plans
for the future.

As to Cyrus Harding he was for the most part silent, and listened to
his companions more often than he spoke to them. Sometimes he smiled
at Herbert's ideas or Pencroft's nonsense, but always and everywhere
he pondered over those inexplicable facts, that strange enigma, of
which the secret still escaped him!

CHAPTER IX

Bad Weather -- The Hydraulic Lift -- Manufacture of
Glass-ware -- The Bread-tree -- Frequent Visits to the Corral
-- Increase of the Flock -- The Reporter's Question -- Exact
Position of Lincoln Island -- Pencroft's Proposal.

The weather changed during the first week of March. There had been a
full moon at the commencement of the month, and the heat was still
excessive. The atmosphere was felt to be full of electricity, and a
period of some length of tempestuous weather was to be feared.

Indeed, on the 2nd, peals of thunder were heard, the wind blew from
the east, and hail rattled against the facade of Granite House like
volleys of grape-shot. The door and wi