now saved us!"

"Of course, my boy," replied Pencroft, "so would I and all of us. I am
not inquisitive, but I would give one of my eyes to see this individual
face to face! It seems to me that he must be handsome, tall, strong,
with a splendid beard, radiant hair, and that he must be seated on the
clouds, a great ball in his hands!"

"But, Pencroft," answered Spilett, "you are describing a picture of the
Creator."

"Possibly, Mr Spilett," replied the sailor, "but that is how I imagine
him!"

"And you, Ayrton?" asked the engineer.

"Captain Harding," replied Ayrton, "I can give you no better advice in
this matter. Whatever you do will be best, when you wish me to join you
in your researches, I am ready to follow you."

"I thank you, Ayrton," answered Cyrus Harding, "but I should like a more
direct answer to the question I put to you. You are our companion; you
have already endangered your life several times for us, and you, as well
as the rest, ought to be consulted in the matter of any important
decision. Speak, therefore."

"Captain Harding," replied Ayrton, "I think that we ought to do
everything to discover this unknown benefactor. Perhaps he is alone.
Perhaps he is suffering. Perhaps he has a life to be renewed. I, too,
as you said, have a debt of gratitude to pay him. It was he, it could
be only he who must have come to Tabor Island, who found there the
wretch you knew, and who made known to you that there was an unfortunate
man there to be saved! Therefore it is, thanks to him, that I have
become a man again. No, I will never forget him!"

"That is settled, then," said Cyrus Harding. "We will begin our
researches as soon as possible. We will not leave a corner of the
island unexplored. We will search into its most secret recesses, and
will hope that our unknown friend will pardon us in consideration of our
intentions!"

For several days the colonists were actively employed in haymaking and
harvest. Before putting their project of exploring the yet unknown
parts of the island into execution, they wished to get all possible work
finished. It was also the time for collecting the various vegetables
from the Tabor Island plants. All was stowed away, and happily there
was no want of room in Granite House, in which they might have housed
all the treasures of the island. The products of the colony were there,
methodically arranged, and in a safe place, as may be believed,
sheltered as much f