The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne Page A

my return, I find a fire at the house, I shall believe that
the thunder itself came to light it." All three climbed the bank; and
arrived at the angle made by the river, the sailor, stopping, said to
his two companions,—
    "Shall we begin by being hunters or wood-men?"
    "Hunters," replied Herbert. "There is Top already in quest."
    "We will hunt, then," said the sailor, "and afterwards we can come back
and collect our wood."
    This agreed to, Herbert, Neb, and Pencroft, after having torn three
sticks from the trunk of a young fir, followed Top, who was bounding
about among the long grass.
    This time, the hunters, instead of following the course of the river,
plunged straight into the heart of the forest. There were still the
same trees, belonging, for the most part, to the pine family. In
certain places, less crowded, growing in clumps, these pines exhibited
considerable dimensions, and appeared to indicate, by their development,
that the country was situated in a higher latitude than the engineer had
supposed. Glades, bristling with stumps worn away by time, were covered
with dry wood, which formed an inexhaustible store of fuel. Then,
the glade passed, the underwood thickened again, and became almost
impenetrable.
    It was difficult enough to find the way among the groups of trees,
without any beaten track. So the sailor from time to time broke off
branches which might be easily recognized. But, perhaps, he was wrong
not to follow the watercourse, as he and Herbert had done on their first
excursion, for after walking an hour not a creature had shown itself.
Top, running under the branches, only roused birds which could not be
approached. Even the couroucous were invisible, and it was probable that
the sailor would be obliged to return to the marshy part of the forest,
in which he had so happily performed his grouse fishing.
    "Well, Pencroft," said Neb, in a slightly sarcastic tone, "if this is
all the game which you promised to bring back to my master, it won't
need a large fire to roast it!"
    "Have patience," replied the sailor, "it isn't the game which will be
wanting on our return."
    "Have you not confidence in Captain Harding?"
    "Yes."
    "But you don't believe that he will make fire?"
    "I shall believe it when the wood is blazing in the fireplace."
    "It will blaze, since my master has said so."
    "We shall see!"
    Meanwhile, the sun had not reached the highest point in its course above
the horizon. The exploration, therefore, continued, and was usefully
marked by a discovery which Herbert made of a tree whose fruit was
edible. This was the stone-pine, which produces an excellent almond,
very much esteemed in the temperate regions of America and Europe. These
almonds were in a perfect state of maturity, and Herbert described them
to his companions, who feasted on them.
    "Come," said Pencroft, "sea-weed by way of bread, raw mussels for meat,
and almonds for dessert, that's certainly a good dinner for those who
have not a single match in their pocket!"
    "We mustn't complain," said Herbert.
    "I am not complaining, my boy," replied Pencroft, "only I repeat, that
meat is a little too much economized in this sort of meal."
    "Top has found something!" cried Neb, who ran towards a thicket, in the
midst of which the dog had disappeared, barking. With Top's barking were
mingled curious gruntings.
    The sailor and Herbert had followed Neb. If there was game there this
was not the time to discuss how it was to be cooked, but rather, how
they were to get hold of it.
    The hunters had scarcely entered the bushes when they saw Top engaged
in a struggle with an animal which he was holding by the ear. This
quadruped was a sort of pig nearly two feet and a half long, of a
blackish brown color, lighter below, having hard scanty hair; its toes,
then strongly fixed in the ground, seemed to be united by a membrane.
Herbert recognized in this animal the capybara, that is to say, one of
the largest members of the rodent order.
    Meanwhile, the capybara