Chapter 46 Chapter Four

The boat exploded!cried Herbert. Yes!As if Ayrton had set fire to gunpowder, it exploded!said Pencroft, jumping into the lift with Neb and the boy. This is how the same thing?Ji Ding.asked Spilett, utterly taken aback by this unexpected outcome. Um!This time we can know the engineer said quickly. What can we know? Don't worry!Don't worry!Come on, Spilett.The main thing is that these pirates are all wiped out, which is a big deal! Cyrus.Smith urged the correspondent and Ayrton to the beach, where they joined Pencroft, Neb, and Herbert. The brig was all gone, not even its masts to be seen.It was thrown up by the water column, fell sideways, and sank just like that.There is no doubt that this is due to the water leaking too badly.But the strait in this region is only twenty feet deep, and it is certain that the sides of the sunken ship will come out of the water again when the water is shallow.

Something from the wreck was floating in the water.A raft floated out of the hatch and slowly emerged to the surface of the sea. On it were unused round timber, chickens in chicken cages, living boxes and barrels; but the wreckage of the sunken ship was invisible, and there was no deck With no wood on board, and no ribs for the hull, the sudden disappearance of the Speedy is inconceivable. But at last the ship's two broken masts, freed from the shrouds and shrouds, floated up, with sails still hanging from them, some furled and others lying on the water.Ayrton and Pencroft, impatient to wait for the tide to bring up their fortune, jumped into their boats, with the intention of dragging the wreck up to the beach or islet.However, just as they were about to shake the boat away, Gideon.A word from Spilett stopped them.

Where did the six criminals who landed on the right bank of the Mercy go?He said. Indeed, there was no slack in the matter, and though the boat in which the six had been smashed to pieces on the rocks, they landed at Relic Point. The residents looked there for a while.They couldn't see a single desperado.It is possible that they fled to the interior of the deserted island after seeing their ship sink in the strait. We'll deal with them in the future, said Smith. They're still armed, and it's still dangerous to meet them, but now it's six against six, and both sides are equal in strength.Let's solve the most important problems first.

Ayrton and Pencroft rowed hard towards the wreck. The sea was very calm, and the new moon had only been seen two days before, when the tide was high, and it would take at least a full hour before the brig could emerge from the water of the strait. Ayrton and Pencroft tied ropes to the mast and logs, and brought the ends of the ropes to the beach.With the joint efforts of the residents, the wreckage of the sunken ship was pulled up.Then Pencroft and Ayrton, again in the boat, scooped up all that was floating, including coops, casks, and chests, and carried them at once to the Grotto. There were also several bodies floating in the water.Ayrton recognized Bob.Harvey, pointing at him, said excitedly to his companion:

I used to work in his line too, Pencroft. But now you have quit, brave Ayrton!said the sailor enthusiastically. It is indeed strange that so few bodies float.They counted and counted, and there were only five or six corpses in total. These corpses were washed to the sea by the current soon.Most of the rest of the criminals probably didn't have time to escape, and the hull fell to one side, and they all stayed at the bottom.Now the currents washed the hapless creatures' bodies out to sea, sparing the settlers the sad task of burying them on a deserted island. Cyrus.It took Smith and his companions two hours to haul the logs up to the sand, and spread the sails, which were not in the least damaged, to dry them.They are so absorbed in their work that they speak little, yet they have a lot on their minds!

The acquisition of the brig, in other words, of everything on board, was a great fortune.Indeed, a ship is like a small world, and many useful things can be added to the team's warehouse.It's equal to the chest found in the Relic Corner, but bigger. And, thought Pencroft, must it not be possible to refloat the brig?If there's only one hole in the bottom, it can be repaired; the ship weighs three or four hundred tons, and looks much more respectable than our Rider!We can ride it to distant places!We go wherever we like!Mr. Smith, I must go and look at it with Ayrton, it is well worth the trouble!

Indeed, if the brig was still sailing, the hopes of the migrants returning home were much better.However, to decide on this important question, one had to wait until after low tide, when the water was low, because only then could the whole hull be examined carefully. Smith and his companions agreed to take a few minutes for breakfast when their belongings were safely brought ashore.They were all very hungry, but luckily the pantry was not far away, and Neb was a quick cook.So they breakfasted near the Grotto; and, as you can tell, they talked all about the miracle of the party's unexpected escape from danger as they ate.

It can only be called a miracle, Pencroft said again and again, those rascals were blown up in good time!Granite Palace is under threat! Can you guess, Pencroft, asked the correspondent, what happened, what caused the explosion? Hi!Nothing could be simpler, M. Spilett, replied Pencroft. The prisoner's ship is not as disciplined as a man-of-war!Prisoners were not sailors either.The powder magazine must have been open, they kept firing, some careless or clumsy person must have blown up the whole ship in a single moment! Mr. Smith, said Herbert, it strikes me that the explosion did not play any greater role.The sound of the explosion was very small, and not many planks and ribs were damaged.It didn't look like it was blown up, but sunk by crashing.

Does that seem strange to you, child?asked the engineer. Yes, Mr. Smith. I wonder too, Herbert, he said, but we shall have an answer when we examine it. Why, Mr. Smith, said Pencroft, do you think the Speedy went down as if on a rock? If there were rocks in the strait, said Neb, how could it be impossible? Nonsense, Neb, said Pencroft, you did not see then.I could see very well that a moment before the brig went down a great wave lifted her up, and she went down to the left.If it just hit a rock, it would sink to the bottom of the sea quietly like a normal ship. Just because it's not a normal boat!said Neb.

Well, we shall soon find out, Pencroft.said the engineer. We'll find out soon enough, continued the sailor, but I'll bet my head there's no rocks in the channel.Mr. Smith, let's be clear, don't you think this thing is a little strange? Cyrus.Smith didn't answer. Whether it hits the rocks or explodes, Ji Ding.At any rate, said Spilett, you must admit, Pencroft, that this is happening at a critical moment! Yes!Yes!But that's not the problem, said the sailor.I was asking Mr. Smith if he saw anything strange. I cannot tell, Pencroft, said the engineer; that is all I can answer you.

This answer did not satisfy Pencroft at all.He insisted that it was an explosion, and he would never give up on this idea.There is a layer of fine sand at the bottom of the strait, just like a beach. When the water is shallow, he often crosses the strait, so he firmly disagrees that there will be any hidden reefs in it. Moreover, the water was high when the brig sank, that is to say, if there were rocks exposed at ebb tide, there would be enough water at that time to float any vessel without being hindered by rocks.So hitting the rocks was out of the question, the ship hadn't been hit, it was certain it was blown up. It must be admitted that the sailor's arguments are not without merit. Nearly half past one, the residents boarded boats to see the wreck.It is a pity that the brig's two boats could not be saved: one had been confessed, and was smashed into pieces at the mouth of the Mercy, and was completely useless; If it didn't reappear, it must have been crashed too. At this time, the hull of the Speedy just emerged from the water.The brig fell on one side, with all her masts snapped off, and the whole ship lost its center of gravity as the ballast had been shifted by the violent shock; the whole of its keel was visible.At that time, there was an incredible and amazing force on the bottom of the sea that turned it over, and at the same time there was a huge column of water. The inhabitants paddled around the ship, as the tide went down, to ascertain, if not the cause of the wreck, at least the consequences. Near the bow, seven or eight feet from the bow, the sides of the brig's keel were badly damaged.There was a section at least twenty feet long, with a large opening on either side, and it was impossible to block such a hole.Not only is there no copper-clad board and wooden boards at the bottom of the ship, no doubt it must have been blasted to ashes, even the ribs, iron screws and wooden nails used to connect them are gone.An inexplicable force caused the sub keel and the entire hull to fall off from head to stern.The keel itself, split in several places from the stringers, was completely snapped off. I think, cried Pencroft, that the boat will hardly float again! That is impossible.Ayrton said. That aside, Keating.Spilett said to the sailors that if there was an explosion, then the result of this explosion is too strange!It blasted the bottom of the ship, but it didn't damage the deck and roof!These big holes didn't look like they were blown up by a gunpowder magazine, but rather like they were smashed with stones. Not a stone in the strait!The sailor said, I agree with everything you say, but I don't agree with you when you say stone. Let's try to get in the ship, said the engineer, and maybe we'll find out how it's been damaged. This is the most practicable way, and everyone agrees; moreover, it can also make an inventory of the whole ship's belongings, make an arrangement, and store them up. It's easy to get into a boat now.The tide is still receding, and people can leave on the deck.The bottom cargo of the ballast is some heavy iron blocks, which have leaked out of the hull from several places.Sea water flowed out of the holes in the hull, making a splashing sound. Cyrus.Smith and his mates, axes in hand, advanced along the broken deck.All kinds of boxes were piled up on the deck, blocking their way. The boxes hadn't been soaked in the water for a long time, so maybe the contents inside hadn't been damaged. Residents are busy putting all the goods in their proper place.There were only a few hours at low tide, and they had to make the most of those hours.Ayrton and Pencroft found some rigging in the entrance of the ship, with which they could hoist the casks and chests.They loaded the goods in boats, carried them ashore, and returned immediately with various items, and as for the tidying up, they planned to do it later. On the whole, the residents were very satisfied, as they soon discovered that the brig contained a variety of cargo.Just like a Polynesian merchant ship engaged in large-scale coastal trade, it is loaded with a variety of objects, utensils, industrial products and tools, everything that you can expect.They even found some of whatever they wanted; it was agreed that these were just what the squad on Lincoln Island desperately needed. However, Cyrus.Smith was in a daze; not only the hull of the brig suffered great damage, which has been mentioned before, but let alone how the accident was caused, even its internal devices, especially near the bow, were also damaged. All destroyed.The bulkheads and stanchions were destroyed, as if some gigantic shell had been thrown into the brig.The emigrants moved from the bow to the stern easily by removing the boxes.These boxes are not heavy and large items, but ordinary small items, so it is not difficult to move; the writing on the boxes indicating the place of shipment is no longer legible. So the inhabitants came to the stern of the brig, which turned out to be the rudder deck.According to Ayrton's instructions, they should find the powder magazine here.Cyrus.Smith believes that the powder magazine did not explode, and there may be a few barrels of gunpowder left. Moreover, gunpowder is usually packaged in a metal cover, which may not be affected by moisture. And indeed it is.From the pile of bullets they found twenty barrels of gunpowder, all lined with copper.They carefully lifted the bucket out.It was only after Pencroft saw it with his own eyes that he was convinced that the Speedy had not been sunk, and that the part of the ship in which the powder magazines were situated had suffered the least damage. Perhaps not sunk, said the obstinate sailor, but as for stones, I'm sure there isn't a single one in the channel! So, how did it happen?asked Herbert. I don't know, replied Pencroft, if Mr. Smith can't figure it out, then nobody can understand, and no one will ever understand! They searched for hours, and the tide began to rise.Work must be temporarily stopped for now.They didn't have to worry about the sea washing away the boat, because it was fixed there like an anchor. There was no problem, therefore, in waiting till the next day to start the work; but although the ship was wrecked there, it was better to get out what was left of it, for it would soon be sunk entirely in the quicksands of the channel. It was five o'clock in the evening.Residents have had a busy day.They ate their supper with relish, and when it was over, though they were very tired, they could not help opening and examining the cargo-cases on board the Speedy. Most of the boxes contained clothes, which, as you can imagine, were unanimously popular.There is enough clothing and shoes for the whole squad in all sizes. We are too rich!cried Pencroft, but what shall we do with the whole thing? The sailors cheered with joy as they saw the casks of strong wine, the casks of tobacco, the firearms and swords, the bales of cotton, the implements of the tillage, the implements of the joiners and blacksmiths, and the boxes of seeds of all kinds, for the time in the water Not long, and these things haven't gotten wet in the slightest.If they had obtained these things two years ago, how much they would have cherished them!But while industrious immigrants now have the tools, these treasures are still useful to them. The warehouses of Granite Palace were very spacious, but it was too late to clear everything before dark.Moreover, it must not be forgotten that the six desperadoes of the Speedy are still on the island. They are likely to be a group of vicious gangsters, and the immigrants must always be on guard against them.The bridges over the Mercy were up, but a river or a stream couldn't stop these criminals, who could do anything when cornered. They will soon be able to work out the best method, but for the present they have to stand guard near the grotto, where the boxes and cages are piled up.So the residents took turns guarding at night. At dawn, the criminals did not come to harass.Japp and Top stood guard at the foot of Granite Palace, and if there was any movement, they would call the police at any time.Then, on October 19th, 20th, and 21st, for three consecutive days, they were busy arranging things.Everything of value or usefulness, be it cargo or rigging, was preserved.When the tide was low, they inspected the ship's cabins; when the tide was high, they sorted out the salvage.Most of the copper-clad panels on the hull have been peeled off, and the hull is sinking deeper and deeper day by day.But Ayrton and Pencroft, before the quicksands had swallowed up the heavy thing that had leaked from the bottom of the ship, dived to the bottom of the strait, and brought up the brig's anchor chain, the ballast iron, and even the four doors. Cannons, these things are floated using empty barrels. Evidently, the squad's arsenal and the warehouses of Granite Palace had been bolstered by the wreck.Pencroft, always eager to make plans, had already begun to contemplate building a battery over the Channel and the mouth of the Mercy.He intends to use four cannons to stop any fleet no matter how powerful it is from invading the territorial waters of Lincoln Island! When the brig was all gone and nothing but a shell remained, the weather turned bad and wiped it all out in one fell swoop.Cyrus.Smith had intended to blow the wreck open and clear the wreckage ashore; but a gale from the northeast, and a rising tide, obliged the engineer to save powder. During the night of the 23rd and 24th the whole hull broke apart, and parts of the wreck were thrown onto the beach. As to the ship's papers, it is needless to say that Smith, in spite of his careful search of the poop cupboards, found nothing.The pirates must have destroyed all markings relating to the Speedy's original captain and owner, and the name of the port was not painted on the stern, so there was no way of knowing her nationality.However, both Ayrton and Pencroft believed, from the shape of her two boats, that the brig was of English manufacture. The week after the wreck was not so much an accident as a marvelous good fortune, for that was how the settlers survived and the wreck was not seen even in shallow water.The ship disappeared, but Granite Palace became rich by receiving all the property on board. However, if it were not for Neb's fault, this mysterious explosion must never have been explained.On October 30th, while walking on the beach, Neb picked up a slab of iron cylinder bearing the marks of an explosion.The edge of this thick piece of iron was twisted in and out and incomplete, as if it had been caused by the blasting of dynamite. Neb brought the iron to his master, while the Engineer was with his companions in his workshop in the Grotto. Cyrus.Smith looked carefully at the cylinder, and then turned to Pencroft. Friend, he said, you insisted that the Speedy wasn't sunk, did you? Yes, Mr. Smith, replied the sailor, we all know that there are no reefs in the channel. But maybe it hit this piece of iron?As the engineer said, he showed him the broken iron cylinder. What, just this small piece of broken cheese!exclaimed Pencroft in great doubt. Do you remember, my friends, went on Smith, that the brig was thrown up by a jet of water before it sank? Remember, Mr. Smith, replied Herbert. Well, do you want to know how the water column is raised?that's it.The engineer held up a broken tube and said. it?said Pencroft. Yes!This iron cylinder is the remnant of the mine! Mine!The engineer's mates all cried out. So who laid the mines?asked Pencroft, who could not yet give his assent. I can only tell you that I did not do it, Cyrus.Smith replied, but here is the remnant of the mine, and you can estimate its power!