Chapter 49 Chapter VII

When Pencroft heard Herbert's cry, he ran forward, and dropped his gun on the ground. They beat him to death!he cried, my child!They beat him to death! Cyrus.Smith and Keating.Spilett also ran towards Herbert. The correspondent listened, intending to ascertain whether the poor boy's heart was still beating. He is alive, he said, but he must be sent to To Granite Palace?That's impossible!replied the engineer. Then, carry it to the corral!said Pencroft. hurry up.Smith said. He rounded the left corner of the fence, and there he saw a convict pointing a gun at him, and a single shot went through his hat.The engineer stabbed him in the heart without waiting for his second shot, which was more reliable than his own shot.It was too late, but soon, the criminal fell to the ground.

At this time, Ji Ding.Spilett and the sailor climbed over the fence, jumped into the fence, threw open the bar of the inner door, and ran into the empty room, where poor Herbert was soon lying on Ayrton's bed.After a while, Smith also came to his side. The sailor was greatly distressed to see Herbert faint.He sobbed and cried for a while, and then hit his head against the wall.Neither the engineer nor the correspondent could calm him down.They themselves were too distressed to speak. However, they also know that only by relying on themselves can the poor suffering child in front of them be saved from the brink of death.Ji Ding.Spilett has experienced many twists and turns in his life, so he has mastered some common sense of medicine.He knew a little about everything, and he had to treat knife and gunshot wounds on several occasions.In Cyrus.With Smith's help, he began the necessary treatment for Herbert.

The correspondent froze as soon as he came up, for Herbert lay completely unconscious; perhaps from profuse bleeding, perhaps from the force of the bullet, which had struck the bone, and from shock induced by the violent concussion. Herbert's face was pale, and Spilett felt for his pulse, which was very weak, and it only beat once every long time, as if it was about to stop. The condition is serious. They undressed Herbert so that his chest was bared, stanched the blood with handkerchiefs, and washed his heart with cold water. Herbert's wound was an oval hole, just below the chest, between the third and fourth ribs, through which the bullet had entered.

Then Cyrus.Smith and Keating.Spilett turned the poor lad over; and as he turned, the lad gave a faint groan, which they almost took to be his dying sigh. There was another wound on Herbert's back, which was stained with blood, and this was where the bullet had passed. Thank goodness!The correspondent said the bullet was not in the body, and we need not take it out. But what about the heart?Smith asked. The heart was not touched; if it had, Herbert would have been dead! died?Pencroft snorted. The sailor heard only the last two words of the correspondent. No, Pencroft, Cyrus.Smith said, no!He is not dead.His pulse was still beating.He even groaned.For the sake of your child, please calm down.We need composure very much.Don't overwhelm everyone, my friend.

Pencroft was silent, but what he heard aroused his grief again, and great tears rolled down his cheeks. At this time, Ji Ding.Spilett intended to concentrate his thoughts and conduct his medical treatment in an orderly manner.After inspection, he was sure that the bullet had entered through the chest and exited through the back.But what damage did the bullet do when it passed through the inside of the body?What vital organs does it touch?It is also difficult for a real surgeon, let alone a correspondent, to judge at once. However, there is one thing he knows very well, that is: it is necessary to prevent the wound from being inflamed and causing blood vessels to block, and then fight against the local inflammation and high fever that will be caused by the trauma (maybe a fatal trauma!); now, what dressing should be used, What anti-inflammatory agent to use, how can we prevent inflammation.

Regardless of other things, the most important thing at the moment is to quickly wrap up the two wounds.Ji Ding.Spilett did not think it necessary to wash the wound with warm water, nor to squeeze the wound, since that would cause bleeding.Herbert had bled profusely, and was now very weak from the profuse bleeding. The correspondent therefore thought it best to simply wash the two wounds with cold water. Herbert lay on his left side and maintained this position. Don't let him move, Keating.Spilett said that this position is most beneficial for the drainage of the wounds on his back and chest, and that this position should be maintained, and he must be kept absolutely rested now.

What!Can't we carry him back to Granite Palace?asked Pencroft. No, Pencroft.replied the correspondent. I must settle accounts with these gangsters!exclaimed the sailor, shaking his fists with a menacing air. Pencroft!Cyrus.Smith said. Ji Ding.Spilett resumed his diagnosis of the wounded boy.Herbert's complexion was still terribly pale, and the reporter was very anxious. Cyrus, he said, I am not a surgeon.I just don't know what to do.You should give me some ideas and introduce some experience! Take courage, my friend, said the engineer, squeezing the correspondent's hand firmly, and calm down in the diagnosis.Only one thing in mind: must save Herbert!

Ji Ding.Spilett, feeling the weight of his responsibility, had already lost his courage, but these few words restored him to his original composure.He sat close to the bed.Cyrus.Smith stood by.Pencroft tore off his shirt, and listlessly worked on the bandages. Spilett to Cyrus.Smith explained that he believed that the bleeding should be stopped first, but not to block the wound or cause the wound to grow immediately, because the internal organs were pierced and pus could not be left in the chest. Smith fully agreed, and the correspondent decided not to sew up the two wounds at once, but to dress them for the time being.Fortunately, these two wounds do not need to be enlarged.

Inflammation is very likely to happen, do residents have any panacea to prevent inflammation? some.They have a kind, and nature provides them generously.They have cold water, which is the most effective medicine for preventing wound inflammation, and the elixir for serious symptoms. There is no doctor today who does not use it.Cold water has the added benefit of keeping the wound in absolute rest, protecting it in all cases of premature dressing.This is a great advantage, because as a rule of thumb, the first few days of contact with the air are very dangerous. Ji Ding.Spilett and Cyrus.Smith, using their simple and good reason, made the above judgments, and then, like the best surgeons, practiced the medicine.They applied compresses to poor Herbert's two wounds, and kept them moist with cold water.

The sailor started by lighting a fire in the house.All kinds of necessities of life are not lacking in the house.There was maple syrup, and various herbs that the boy had collected from the shores of Lake Grant, so they made some cool drink, and when they fed it to the boy, he was completely unconscious.His fever was very high, and a whole day and night passed, and he still hadn't woken up. Herbert's life can be said to be at a critical moment, and this hair may break at any time.The next day, November 12th, there was a glimmer of hope for Smith and his companions.Herbert awoke from his long coma.He opened his eyes and recognized Cyrus.Smith, the Correspondent, and Pencroft.He said two or three sentences.What happened, he had no idea.Everyone told him what had happened, and Spilett asked him not to move, telling him that his life was not in danger, and that the wound would heal in a few days.Herbert felt hardly any pain, and the wounds were not at all inflamed from their frequent washing with cold water.The festering process was normal, the body temperature had not increased, and one could now hope that no unfortunate consequences would result from this dreadful wound.Pencroft was gradually relieved.He was like a nun now, a loving mother at her beloved's bedside.

Herbert fell into a drowsy sleep again, but more naturally this time. Again, you are confident, Monsieur Spilett, said Pencroft; once again, you will save Herbert! Yes, we're going to revive him!The correspondent said that the wound was so severe that the bullet might have penetrated his lung, but that it would not have killed him. God bless you!said Pencroft. It may be imagined that during the twenty-four hours in the corral the only thought on the minds of the inhabitants was the question of the care of Herbert.They neither considered the dangers they would face if the criminals returned, nor planned how to prevent the future. On this day, when Pencroft was guarding beside the hospital bed, Cyrus.Smith and the correspondent spoke of what was to be done at present. First, they inspected the corral carefully.Ayrton was nowhere to be seen.Was this unfortunate man taken away by his former subordinates?Had he resisted and been defeated in the struggle?The latter assumption is very likely.Ji Ding.When Spilett climbed the fence, he had clearly seen a criminal fleeing along the southern spur of Mount Franklin, when Top rushed to him.The escaped desperado was one of the convicts whose attempt was thwarted by the rocks at the mouth of the Mercy which wrecked their boat.And the gangster that Smith stabbed to death, still lying outside the corral, was of course Bob.Harvey's partisans. The corral was undamaged.The gates were well shut, and the animals could not escape into the forest.Neither in the house nor in the fence did they find any trace of fighting or destruction.But Ayrton's weapon disappeared with him. The unfortunate man was attacked, Smith said, a man of self-defense, and must have finally given up. Yes, I am afraid so, said the correspondent, that the convicts, seeing everything in the corral, must have settled here, and did not escape until they saw us coming up here.At the same time, it is also evident that Ayrton, dead or alive, was not here when we came! We must search the forest, said the engineer, and rid the island of these bandits.Pencroft had been right in his foresight, which had intended to hunt them down like wild animals.If it had been done earlier, these unfortunate accidents would not have happened! Yes, says the correspondent, now we might as well be tough! But, said the engineer, we could only stay in the corral for a while, till Herbert would be in no danger by moving, and then bring him back to Granite Palace. But what about Neb?asked the correspondent. Neb was in no danger. But what if he's anxious because we don't go back all the time, and risks coming here? He can't come!Cyrus.Smith was quick to say that he would have been killed on the way! But he is likely to come to us! Well, if the telegram works, we can warn him!Now it can't be done!We must not leave Pencroft and Herbert here alone!Well, I'll go to Granite Palace alone. Can't, can't!Cyrus, says the correspondent, you must not expose yourself!There is no need to take such risks.Bandits must be watching the corrals, they're hiding in the surrounding woods, and as soon as you're gone, our mishaps will turn from one to two! But what about Neb?The engineer repeated that he had not heard from us for a whole day and night!He will come here for sure! And since he doesn't know that he should be on our guard like we are, Spilett added, he will be killed! Is there really no way to warn him? While the engineer was working on his brains, his eyes fell on Top, who walked up and down as if to say: Am I not here? Top!Cyrus.cried Smith. Top jumped up when he heard his master call him. Yes, Top can go, the correspondent understands what the engineer means, and Top can go where we can't go!Let it bring news from the Corral to Granite Palace, and then bring news from Granite Palace back! quick!Smith said, hurry up! Spilett hastily tore a piece of paper from his notebook and wrote on it: Herbert was wounded.We are in the corral.Watch out for yourself.Don't leave Granite Palace.Has the criminal been around here?Let Top bring us the answer. The note contained all that was to be told to Neb, and at the same time suggested everything the inhabitants wanted to know.They folded the note and tied it in a conspicuous place around Top's neck. Top, my Top, said the engineer, stroking it, Neb, Top!Naboo!go, go! When Top heard it, he jumped up and down.It understands what engineers mean, and it knows what people want it to do.The Corral Road is familiar to him, and he can walk it in less than an hour;Smith was still a correspondent, and he had to take great risks to pass this road at present, but Top could pass through weeds and dense forests without anyone noticing. The engineer went to the gate of the corral and opened it. Neb, Top!Naboo!The engineer repeated, and pointed to the direction of Granite Palace. Top jumped forward and was almost immediately out of sight. it will get there!said the correspondent. Yes, and for sure it will be back, faithful dog! what time is it?Ji Ding.asked Spilett. ten o'clock. It will be there in an hour.Let's wait for it to come back. They shut the gate of the corral.The engineer and the correspondent were back in the house.Herbert was not awake yet.Pencroft kept the compress moist all the time.Spilett felt that there was nothing to do for a while, so he was busy preparing some nutritious food. At the same time, he kept an eye on the fence on the other side of the mountain from time to time, because bandits might attack from there. The inhabitants waited anxiously for Top.When it was nearly eleven o'clock, CyrusSmith and the correspondent, rifles in hand, stood behind the door, ready to answer it when the dogs barked. They were convinced of this, that if Top arrived safely at Granite House, Neb would send him back at once. They waited for about ten minutes, and suddenly heard a gunshot, followed by a few dogs barking. The engineer opened the gate, saw a plume of smoke in the forest a hundred feet away, and fired a shot at it. Almost at once Top jumped into the corral, and they hastened to close the gate. Top, Top!cried the Engineer, throwing his arms around the neck of the faithful Top. Around its neck was a slip of paper with Neb's large characters on it. Cyrus.Smith read: There are no pirates near Granite Palace.I will not move.Poor Herbert.