, saying to himself,--

"I have seen nothing, and yet there _is_ something there!"

CHAPTER XII

The Rigging of the Vessel -- An Attack from Foxes -- Jup
wounded -- Jup cured -- Completion of the Boat -- Pencroft's
Triumph -- The _Bonadventure's_ trial Trip to the South of
the Island -- An unexpected Document.

In the evening the hunters returned, having enjoyed good sport, and
being literally loaded with game; indeed, they had as much as four men
could possibly carry. Top wore a necklace of teal and Jup wreaths of
snipe round his body.

"Here, master," cried Neb; "here's something to employ our time!
Preserved and made into pies we shall have a welcome store! But I must
have some one to help me. I count on you, Pencroft."

"No, Neb," replied the sailor; "I have the rigging of the vessel to
finish and to look after, and you will have to do without me."

"And you, Mr. Herbert?"

"I must go to the corral to-morrow, Neb," replied the lad.

"It will be you then, Mr. Spilett, who will help me?"

"To oblige you, Neb, I will," replied the reporter; "but I warn you
that if you disclose your receipts to me, I shall publish them."

"Whenever you like, Mr. Spilett," replied Neb; "whenever you like."

And so the next day Gideon Spilett became Neb's assistant and was
installed in his culinary laboratory. The engineer had previously made
known to him the result of the exploration which he had made the day
before, and on this point the reporter shared Harding's opinion, that
although he had found nothing, a secret still remained to be
discovered!

The frost continued for another week, and the settlers did not leave
Granite House unless to look after the poultry-yard. The dwelling was
filled with appetising odours, which were emitted from the learned
manipulation of Neb and the reporter. But all the results of the chase
were not made into preserved provisions; and as the game kept
perfectly in the intense cold, wild duck and other fowl were eaten
fresh, and declared superior to all other aquatic birds in the known
world.

During this week Pencroft, aided by Herbert, who handled the
sail-maker's needle with much skill, worked with such energy that the
sails of that vessel were finished. There was no want of cordage.
Thanks to the rigging which had been recovered with the case of the
balloon, the ropes and cables from the net were all of good quality,
and the sailor turned them all to account. To