blazed up on the hearth. The sight of the
flame seemed at first to fix the attention of the unhappy object, but
soon he turned away and the look of intelligence faded. Evidently
there was nothing to be done, for the time at least, but to take him
on board the _Bonadventure_. This was done, and he remained there in
Pencroft's charge.

Herbert and Spilett returned to finish their work; and some hours
after they came back to the shore, carrying the utensils and guns, a
store of vegetables, of seeds, some game, and two couple of pigs.

All was embarked, and the _Bonadventure_ was ready to weigh anchor and
sail with the morning tide.

The prisoner had been placed in the fore cabin, where he remained
quiet, silent, apparently deaf and dumb.

Pencroft offered him something to eat, but he pushed away the cooked
meat that was presented to him and which doubtless did not suit him.
But on the sailor showing him one of the ducks which Herbert had
killed, he pounced on it like a wild beast, and devoured it greedily.

"You think that he will recover his senses?" asked Pencroft. "It is
not impossible that our care will have an effect upon him, for it is
solitude that has made him what he is, and from this time forward he
will be no longer alone."

"The poor man must no doubt have been in this state for a long time,"
said Herbert.

"Perhaps," answered Gideon Spilett.

"About what age is he?" asked the lad.

"It is difficult to say," replied the reporter; "for it is impossible
to see his features under the thick beard which covers his face; but
he is no longer young, and I suppose he might be about fifty."

"Have you noticed, Mr. Spilett, how deeply sunk his eyes are?" asked
Herbert.

"Yes, Herbert; but I must add that they are more human than one could
expect from his appearance."

"However, we shall see," replied Pencroft; "and I am anxious to know
what opinion Captain Harding will have of our savage. We went to look
for a human creature, and we are bringing back a monster! After all we
did what we could."

The night passed, and whether the prisoner slept or not could not be
known; but at any rate, although he had been unbound, he did not move.
He was like a wild animal, which appears stunned at first by its
capture, and becomes wild again afterwards.

At daybreak the next morning, the 15th of October, the change of
weather predicted by Pencroft occurred. The wind having shifted to the
north-west favoured the retur