the presence or the proximity of the convicts. Towards five in the evening the cart was within 600 feet of the palisade. Only a screen of trees still hid it.
It was necessary to reconnoiter the corral, in order to ascertain if it was occupied. To go there openly, in broad daylight, when the convicts were probably in ambush, would be to expose themselves, as poor Herbert had done, to the fire-arms of the ruffians. It was better, then, to wait until night came on.
Gideon Spilett wished to reconnoiter the approaches at once, and Pencroft, who was quite out of patience, volunteered to accompany him.
"No, my friends," said the engineer, "wait till night. I will not allow one of you to expose himself in open day."
"But captain———" protested the sailor.
"I beg you, Pencroft," said the engineer.
"Very well!" replied the sailor, and vented his anger by bestowing on the convicts the worst names in his vocabulary.
The colonists remained, therefore, near the cart, and carefully watched the neighboring parts of the forest. Three hours passed thus. The wind had fallen, and absolute silence reigned under the great trees. The snapping of the smallest twig, a footstep on the dry leaves, the gliding of a body amongst the grass, would have been heard without difficulty. All was quiet. Besides, Top, lying on the grass, his head stretched out on his paws, gave no sign of uneasiness. At eight o'clock the dark appeared far enough advanced for the reconnoissance to be made under favorable conditions. Gideon Spilett declared himself ready to set out accompanied by Pencroft. Cyrus Harding consented. Top and Jup were to remain with the others, for a bark or a cry at a wrong moment would give the alarm.
"Do not be imprudent," said Harding to the reporter and Pencroft; "you have not to capture the corral, but only to find out whether it is occupied or not."
"All right," answered Pencroft, and the two departed.
Under the trees, the obscurity rendered any object invisible beyond a radius of forty feet. The reporter and Pencroft, halting at every sound, advanced with great caution.
They walked a little distance apart from each other so as
