Chapter 50 chapter eight

It turned out that the criminals were still watching the corral nearby, trying to kill the residents one by one.There is no other way to deal with these robbers but to treat them like wild animals.Now the inhabitants must be more careful, for the present situation favors the gangsters, who can see the inhabitants but not the inhabitants, and who can make sudden surprise attacks without themselves being attacked by surprise.So Smith made some arrangements to live in the corral.The food here can last for quite a long time.Ayrton's house was stocked with all kinds of necessities for life, and because the residents came so suddenly, the criminals were scared away before they could snatch them away.According to Ji Ding.According to Spilett's estimation, the course of events may have been as follows: After landing on the island, the six criminals advanced along the southern coast. They crossed from coast to coast of the Serpent Peninsula without venturing into the Far West Forest, but to the mouth of the waterfall.From the mouth of the estuary it was possible to follow the right bank to the foot of the spur of Mount Franklin, where it was not difficult to find a shelter, so that the corral, which was then unoccupied, was soon discovered.Here they officially took up residence, ready to carry out their terrible plots.Ayrton's return to the corral surprised them, but it is not difficult to imagine the rest of the situation when they managed to defeat the unfortunate man!

True, there were only five criminals left, but they were all armed and haunted the forest.To venture into the forest is to send them to your door; their attacks can neither be prevented nor stopped. Wait!Can't think of any other way now!Cyrus.Smith repeatedly said that when Herbert was well, we would make a general search on the island, and then we would be able to take revenge on these criminals.This is the purpose of our large-scale expedition, and at the same time We still have to look for the mysterious guardian, Gideon.Spilett went on to say what the engineer wanted to say, ah, it must be admitted, dear Cyrus, that he did not protect us at this most critical moment!

Who knows?said the engineer. What does this mean?asked the correspondent. We are not at the end of our rope yet, my dear Spilett, who may, on another occasion, use his creative powers.But this is not the important issue at present. What is important now is the issue of Herbert's life. This is what residents are most worried about.A few more days passed, but fortunately for the poor boy, the situation did not deteriorate.The cold water has always maintained the proper temperature, so so far, the wound has not been inflamed at all.Because of its proximity to the volcano, the water contained such a small amount of sulfur that the correspondent even felt that it had a direct medical effect.Thanks to the constant attention of those around him, Herbert survived, the suppuration was much less than before, and the fever dropped.As they severely restricted his diet, his health became very weak, and would continue for some time; but cool drinks could be drunk as much as possible, and it was of great benefit to him to maintain absolute rest. the benefits of.Cyrus.Smith, Keating.The skills of Spilett and Pencroft in dressing the boy's wound were already very good.He had used up all the fabric in the house.Herbert's wounds were covered with compresses and cotton, which were not loosely bound, so as to hold them together without the eventual reaction of inflammation.The correspondent was very careful in the process of dressing. He knew the importance of this procedure. He repeatedly mentioned to his colleagues a fact that most surgeons admit, that is: a good dressing is better than a good dressing. Surgery is even rarer.

Ten days later, on the 22nd of November, Herbert was much better.He has started taking some nutritional supplements.The original light came back to his face, and he smiled at the nurses with his bright eyes.In spite of Pencroft's efforts to keep talking to him, and to tell him the strangest stories, so as not to give him an opportunity to speak; yet he said a few words.Herbert questioned Ayrton, who thought he was still in the corral, and wondered not seeing him.The sailor, so as not to upset Herbert, replied that Ayrton and Neb had gone together to defend Granite Palace. snort!These robbers, said Pencroft!These guys are not worthy of pity at all!Mr. Smith still wants to persuade them with benevolence, righteousness and morality!I also want to give them some benevolence and morality, but my benevolence and morality are big bullets!

Haven't found them again since?asked Herbert. No, boy, replied the sailor, but we'll find them, and when you're well we'll see if these backstabbing cowards dare show themselves! My body is still weak, my Pencroft! It doesn't matter!Your physical strength will slowly recover!What is a bullet through the chest?It's just a joke, I've seen this kind of thing a lot, it's nothing special! Things improved at last, and Herbert's recovery was assured if there were no further complications.However, what would the immigrants do if his injuries were much more serious than they are now, such as bullets not coming out of the body, or if his limbs had to be amputated?

Indeed, Spilett said more than once, I could not help shivering at the thought of such an accident! However, if the time comes when surgery is not an option, Smith said to him one day, would you hesitate? No, Cyrus!Ji Ding.But thank God, Spilett said, no such complications occurred! The inhabitants had repeatedly used their simple and good reason to analyze and discuss, and this time, as usual, thanks to their general common sense, the result was successful again!But will they encounter a time when they have exhausted all their scientific knowledge and still cannot solve the difficulties?There must be all kinds of people in society who depend on each other, but they are the only ones on the island.Cyrus.Smith understands this so well that he sometimes asks himself what to do when there is nothing they can do?He also had a feeling that he and his companions, who had always been fortunate, seemed to be entering a period of unhappiness.It can be said that in the two and a half years since they escaped from Richmond, they have always had what they wanted.The island supplied them with a great deal of minerals, plants and animals.Nature constantly supplies all kinds of materials, and they constantly rely on their own scientific knowledge to make full use of them.

Therefore, the team is very happy.And, in some cases, there is an incredible force helping them!However, all this is just the past. In a word, Cyrus.Smith felt they were starting to go downhill. Indeed, although the pirates were mysteriously destroyed as a result of the convicts' ship coming to the coast of the deserted island, at least six of them escaped the catastrophe.They landed on the island; it was almost impossible to catch the five thugs.Ayrton must have been killed by them, for they carried weapons, and the first time they used them, they nearly killed Herbert.Smith often wondered: Is this just the first blow of bad luck for immigrants?The correspondent often ruminated in the same way; he also felt that the miraculous and effective rescue which had helped them so much was not working for them now.No matter who this mysterious person is, there must be such a person anyway. Has he already left the deserted island?Is it also time for him to have nothing to do?

These questions cannot be answered.But we must not think that Smith and his companions were discouraged because of such words.Not at all.They face their situation, analyze all possibilities, and are ready to deal with any situation at any time; they are persevering and indomitable to meet the future.Even if disaster strikes them in the end, they will fight forward bravely.