ch of which more than a third was now consumed? And the spark that
was creeping along to the dynamite?

Assuredly if the men of the aeronef had not been so busy one of them
would have heard the feeble sputtering that was going on in the
deck-house. Perhaps he would have smelt the burning powder! He would
doubtless have become uneasy! And told Tom Turner! And then they
would have looked about, and found the box and the infernal machine;
and then there would have been time to save this wonderful
"Albatross" and all she bore!

But the men were at work in the bow, twenty yards away from the
cabin. Nothing brought them to that part of the deck; nothing called
off their attention from their work. Robur was there working with his
hands, excellent mechanic as he was. He hurried on the work, but
nothing was neglected, everything was carefully done. Was it not
necessary that he should again become absolute master of his
invention? If he did not recapture the fugitives they would get away
home. They would begin inquiring into matters. They might even
discover X Island, and there would be an end to this life, which the
men of the "Albatross" had created for themselves, a life that seemed
superhuman and sublime.

Tom Turner came up to the engineer. It was a quarter past one. "It
seems to me, sir, that the breeze is falling, and going round to the
west."

"What does the barometer say?" asked Robur, after looking up at the
sky.

"It is almost stationary, and the clouds seem gathering below us."

"So they are, and it may be raining down at the sea; but if we keep
above the rain it makes no difference to us. It will not interfere
with the work."

"If it is raining it is not a heavy rain," said Tom. "The clouds do
not look like it, and probably the wind has dropped altogether."

"Perhaps so, but I think we had better not go down yet. Let us get
into going order as soon as we can, and then we can do as we like."

At a few minutes after two the first part of the work was finished.
The fore-screw was in its place, and the power was turned on. The
speed was gradually increased, and the "Albatross," heading to the
southwest, returned at moderate speed towards the Chatham Islands.

"Tom," said Robur, "it is about two hours and a half since we got
adrift. The wind has not changed all the time. I think we ought to be
over the island in an hour."

"Yes, sir. We are going about forty feet a second. We ought to be
there about half-pa