attempting to force the passage, he was to endeavor to stop them by firing on them, and as a last resource he was to take refuge in Granite House, where, the lift once raised, he would be in safety.
Cyrus Harding, Gideon Spilett, Herbert, and Pencroft were to go to the corral, and if they did not find Ayrton, search the neighboring woods. The colonists, after leaving the plateau of Prospect Heights, hastened forward, holding their guns ready to fire on the smallest hostile demonstration. The wood was thick on each side of the road and might easily have concealed the convicts, who owing to their weapons would have been really formidable.
The colonists walked rapidly and in silence. Top preceded them, sometimes running on the road, sometimes taking a ramble into the wood, but always quiet, not appearing to fear anything unusual. And they could be sure that the faithful dog would not allow them to be surprised, but would bark at the least appearance of danger.
Cyrus Harding and his companions followed beside the road the wire which connected the corral with Granite House. After walking for nearly two miles, they had not as yet discovered any explanation of the difficulty. The posts were in good order, the wire regularly extended. At length the engineer observed that the wire became slack, and on arriving at post No. 74, Herbert, who was in advance, stopped, exclaiming, "The wire is broken!"
His companions hurried forward and arrived at the spot where the lad was standing. The post was rooted up and lying across the path. The unexpected explanation of the difficulty was here, and it was evident that the despatches from Granite House had not been received at the corral, nor those from the corral at Granite House.
"It wasn't the wind that blew down this post," observed Pencroft.
"No," replied Gideon Spillet. "The earth has been dug up and it has been torn out by the hand of man."
"Besides, the wire is broken," added Herbert, showing that the wire had been snapped.
"Is the fracture recent?" asked Harding.
"Yes," answered Herbert.
"To the corral! to the corral!" exclaimed the sailor.
The colonists were now half way between Granite House
