ver have been able
to reach--"

"A fire?" asked Harding, much astonished at the reporter's words.

"We mean, captain," answered Pencroft, "that on board the
_Bonadventure_ we were very anxious during the few hours before our
return, and we should have passed to windward of the island, if it had
not been for the precaution you took of lighting a fire in the night
of the 19th of October, on Prospect Heights."

"Yes, yes! That was a lucky idea of mine!" replied the engineer.

"And this time," continued the sailor, "unless the idea occurs to
Ayrton, there will be no one to do us that little service!"

"No! no one!" answered Cyrus Harding.

A few minutes after, finding himself alone in the bows of the vessel
with the reporter, the engineer bent down and whispered,--

"If there is one thing certain in this world, Spilett, it is that I
never lighted any fire during the night of the 19th of October,
neither on Prospect Heights nor on any other part of the island!"

[Illustration: ANOTHER MYSTERY]

CHAPTER XX

A Night at Sea -- Shark Gulf -- Confidences -- Preparations
for Winter -- Forwardness of the bad Season -- Severe Cold --
Work in the Interior -- In six Months -- A photographic
Negative -- Unexpected Incident.

Things happened as Pencroft had predicted, he being seldom mistaken in
his prognostications. The wind rose, and from a fresh breeze it soon
increased to a regular gale; that is to say, it acquired a speed of
from forty to forty-five miles an hour, before which a ship in the
open sea would have run under close-reefed topsails. Now, as it was
nearly six o'clock when the _Bonadventure_ reached the gulf, and as at
that moment the tide turned, it was impossible to enter. They were
therefore compelled to stand off, for even if he had wished to do so,
Pencroft could not have gained the mouth of the Mercy. Hoisting the
jib to the mainmast by way of a storm-sail, he hove to, putting the
head of the vessel towards the land.

Fortunately, although the wind was strong, the sea, being sheltered by
the land, did not run very high. They had then little to fear from the
waves, which always endanger small craft. The _Bonadventure_ would
doubtlessly not have capsized, for she was well ballasted; but
enormous masses of water falling on the deck, might injure her, if her
timbers could not sustain them. Pencroft, as a good sailor, was
prepared for anything. Certainly, he had great confidence in hi