Chapter 55 Chapter Thirteen

How did it happen?Who killed the criminal?Is it Ayrton?No, just now he was worried that the criminals would come back! Ayrton has lost consciousness since he finished the few words just now.He is now in a complete coma, lying motionless on the bed. The residents were cranky and very puzzled.Excessively excited, they waited all night in Ayrton's room, and never went to the place where the bodies of the criminals lay.Probably Ayrton could not explain how the bodies had come about, for he did not even know that he was in the corral.But at least he was able to relate the circumstances leading up to this horrific scene.Ayrton awoke from his coma the next day.After a hundred and four days of separation, he was almost unharmed, and his companions expressed gracious joy when they saw him again.

Ayrton gave a brief account of what had happened, at least as far as he knew. On November 10 last year, the night after he came to the corral, criminals climbed over the fence and attacked him.They tied him up, gagged him, and took him to a dark cave in the foothills of the Franklin Mountains, which was the lair of criminals. They had decided to put him to death the next day when one of the criminals recognized him and called out the name he had used in Australia.Had it been Ayrton, these bandits would have killed him without hesitation!But this is Peng.Juss, so they kept him! So, since then, Ayrton has been repeatedly intimidated by his old subordinates.They plan to ask him to join the group again, rely on his help, break into the Granite Palace they have never been able to go up, occupy this house, kill all the immigrants, and become the master of the island!

Ayrton's will was firm, and the ex-convict, now repentant and forgiven, would rather sacrifice himself than betray his companion.Ayrton was bound and gagged and imprisoned in the cave for nearly four months. Although the convicts had discovered the corral shortly after landing on the island, and had been living on Ayrton's supplies ever since, they did not live in it. On November 11, two gangsters in the corral suddenly noticed the residents approaching, and shot Herbert.One of them fled back.He boasted to the other criminals that he had killed an islander; but he came back alone.As has already been said, his companion was taken by Cyrus.Smith was stabbed to death.

When Ayrton heard the news of Herbert's sacrifice, one can imagine his uneasiness and despair.Now there are only four residents left, and they seem to be threatened by criminals.After this incident, the pirates did not leave the cave during the whole time that the inhabitants were delayed in the corral while Herbert recuperated; in the cave. At this time, they treated Ayrton even more cruelly.Since he was tied up all day long, his hands and feet are still bloodstained.It seemed impossible for him to escape, but to wait for death. This continues until the third week of February.The criminals seldom leave their lairs, and only sometimes go hunting in the interior or south coast of the deserted island, but they are always waiting for the opportunity in their hearts.

Ayrton heard no further news of his companions, and he felt that there was no hope of ever seeing them again.Finally, unable to withstand all kinds of ill-treatment, the unfortunate man fell into a state of collapse, and his sight and hearing were severely impaired.From then on, that is to say, for two days, he knew nothing of the situation. But, Mr. Smith, he continued, how did I come to the corral when I was imprisoned in that cave? Yeah, how did the criminals die inside the fence?asked the engineer. died!Regardless of his weakness, Ayrton half-raised himself from the bed and cried. His friends supported him.He wanted to get up, and with the support of his companions, Ayrton got out of bed.So they walked together to the stream.

By this time it was broad daylight. Right here on the river bank, lay the corpses of five criminals. They looked like they had been beaten to death not long ago! Ayrton froze.Smith and his companions watched him silently.Neb and Pencroft, according to the engineer's gestures, went to examine the body.By this time, the body was frozen and stiff. There were no notable injuries on the body. After careful examination, Pencroft discovered that the forehead of the first corpse, the chest of the second, the back of the third, and the shoulder of the fourth each had a small red spot.It is a trauma that is difficult to recognize, and how it came about is still unclear.

That's where they got hit!Cyrus.Smith said. But what weapon was used?asked the correspondent aloud. A weapon with a lightning effect, but we don't know its secret!Smith replied. Who hit it?asked Pencroft. The righteous avenger of the island, replied Smith, Ayrton, who brought you to the corral.Once again he exerted his might.What we couldn't do ourselves, he did for us.He always avoids us after he has achieved his goal. So, let's go find him!cried Pencroft. Yes, we're looking for him, said Smith, but we can't find this great man of miracles until he's willing to summon us!

Under this invisible blessing, the inhabitants of their own actions appear to be of no use at all, Cyrus.Smith couldn't help feeling annoyed and anxious.This dwarfed situation often hurts a person's self-esteem.At the same time, expressing one's generosity by refusing others to be grateful also contains elements of looking down on the beneficiary.Therefore, in Cyrus.In Smith's view, it somehow devalues ​​all these charitable acts. Let's go find it!He went on to say, "May one day we can prove to this proud defender that we are not ungrateful!"If we can repay him, if it is our turn to do a little bit of duty for him, to express our heart, even if we have to pay the price of our lives, why should I not agree?

From that day on, the inhabitants of Lincoln Island were single-mindedly intent on conducting the search.Everything motivated them to seek the answer to this mystery, which could only be the name of a man who was indeed endowed with incredible powers that approached the supernatural in some way. After a few minutes, the residents returned to the house.Under everyone's care, Ayrton's mental and physical strength quickly recovered. Neb and Pencroft carried the bodies of the criminals into the forest not far from the corral, and buried them. They then told Ayrton what happened during his imprisonment.Then he learned of the danger to Herbert, and the calamities of the inhabitants.It turns out that the residents already thought that there was no hope of meeting Ayrton again, thinking that the criminals had brutally killed him.

Now, Cyrus.After Smith finished his narration, he went on to say, we have one more thing to do.We're only halfway done.Although we can no longer worry about the harassment of criminals in the future, we did not become the masters of the island this time, but we did not rely on our own strength to achieve it. All right!Ji Ding.Let us, said Spilett, search the whole mountainous intricacies of the spurs of Mount Franklin.We never miss a single ravine and cave!ah!If the secret can be discovered, my friends, I shall be the first correspondent to meet it! If we cannot find a benefactor, we will never return to Granite Palace.Herbert said.

Yes, said the engineer, we will do what man can do.But I repeat again, I'm afraid we can only find him if he wants to see us. Shall we just live in the corral for a while?asked Pencroft. Yes, Smith replied, there is a lot of food here, and it happens to be the center of the search area.Besides, if it is necessary to go back to Granite Palace, it will be a short ride in a cart. good!Said the sailor, but I have an opinion. What opinion? Now that the good weather is passing day by day, let us not forget that we still have to sail. navigation?Ji Ding.asked Spilett. Yes, to the Isle of Poor, replied Pencroft, that perhaps the Scotch-boat will be coming to fetch Ayrton.A letter had to be sent to Bo Island, giving the location of Lincoln Island, and stating that Ayrton was here.Maybe it's too late now, so who knows? But, Pencroft, asked Ayrton, how are you going to sail? Use the Windbreaker. Riding the Waves!exclaimed Ayrton, long gone. My Rider is gone?exclaimed Pencroft, jumping up from his seat. True, said Ayrton, the convicts found it eight days ago in the little harbour, and they sailed in it, and later What happened afterwards?Pencroft pressed on, his heart pounding. Because there is no Bob.Harvey took the helm and they hit the rocks all at once.smashed the boat. Oh!These robbers, bandits, shameless guys!Pencroft swore. Pencroft, said Herbert, taking him by the hand, we'll make another Rider, and a bigger one.We have all our iron, and the whole rigging of the brig at our disposal. But do you know, said Pencroft, that a ship of thirty or forty tons will take at least five or six months to build! We can find a way to use the time, the correspondent said, this year we have to not go to Bao Island. What can be done, Pencroft!The engineer said that he had to restrain himself and calm down.Let's hope it won't do us any harm to reach Pao Island later. Alas, my Rider!Poor Rider!Pencroft's heart was almost broken when he heard that the ship of which he had been so proud had been wrecked. The loss of the Riding the Wind and the Waves is indeed a regrettable thing for the residents.They agreed to make up for this loss as quickly as possible.After this problem is decided, they will start to search the most hidden places on the desert island. Beginning at dawn on February 19th, they set out to explore, and they went through a week.The spurs of the foothills and their innumerable branches form an intricate network of valleys and hills.The depths of these canyons, including perhaps even the interior of Mount Franklin, were clearly the places they should search.There is no better place to come if one is looking for a lodging on the island where no one else will find it.Because of the complex topography of these valleys, Cyrus.Smith had to search strictly one by one. The residents first inspected the valley leading to the south of the volcano, through which the Falls River flowed in the first place.Here, Ayrton leads everyone to the cave where the criminals are hiding.It was here that he was imprisoned before being sent back to the corral.The cave was just as it had been when Ayrton had left it.They found a lot of gunpowder and food in it, which were moved by criminals from other places and stored here. The valley near the cave was covered with fir and other trees, and they searched them all.Rounding the corner of the south-western spur, the colonists entered a ravine that resembled the seashore with its grotesque basalt columns.The trees in the canyon are relatively sparse, and the grass has been replaced by rocks.Ibexes and mouflons hopped from rock to rock.From this area on, there is a barren part of the island.Although there are many valleys scattered from the foothills of the Franklin Mountains, it can already be seen that, like the valleys of the corral, there are only three valleys covered with woods and a lot of pasture.The valley of the corral is bounded on the west by the valley of the Falls River and on the east by the valley of the Red River.These two streams are formed by the confluence of various nearby mountain streams.Because of their moisture, the land in the south of the mountain is very fertile. After the stream flows downstream, it joins with many tributaries to form a river.The Mercy River is formed by the direct confluence of larger springs in the woodpecker forest. This spring water stretches into countless streams, making the soil of the Pan Snake Peninsula get water. Any one of these three valleys with plenty of water could be chosen by the hermit as a hiding place, because there are all the necessities of life here.However, the residents searched everywhere, but no trace of anyone was found anywhere. Was it, then, the hermit and his abode in the depths of those barren valleys, among the rocks, in the rugged northern gorges, or where the lava flows? There are only two valleys at the northern foot of Mount Franklin. These two valleys are quite wide, but not too deep. You can't see any vegetation in them. of ore.This area will take a long time to search carefully.There are thousands of caves here, although they are not suitable for habitation, they are very hidden and difficult to pass through. Residents even drilled into dark tunnels to see, all the way into the mountains.These tunnels have existed since the time of volcanic eruptions.Because of the flames sprayed here, the hole still remains blackened.Waving torches, they passed through these dark corridors, examining the smallest openings.They also probed the very shallow tunnels, but all was spooky, and these ancient tunnels seemed never to have been walked or moved. One rock and one rock kept deserted islands at the bottom of the sea when volcanoes spewed them out. The appearance of the surface of the water. Although these tunnels look very desolate and very dark, Cyrus.Smith should admit that the place is not completely silent. When they had come to the bottom of a dark cave, several hundred feet deep, leading deep into the interior of the mountain, the engineer suddenly heard a low rumbling sound, which was amplified by the reverberation of the rocks, which greatly surprised him. Keating with him.Spilett also heard this distant rumble, which meant that the underground fire had rekindled.They listened for a long time, and they all believed that chemical changes were going on under the ground. So, hasn't the volcano completely extinguished?asked the correspondent. Since we last explored the crater, CyrusSmith replied that perhaps something had changed again.Any volcano thought to be extinct is sure to erupt again. But if Mount Franklin erupted, asked Spilett, would there be danger to Lincoln Island? I don't think so, Cyrus.Smith replied, because the crater is like a safety valve.With it, smoke and lava can erupt from here.In the past they have always come out of this exit. It would have been different if the magma had burst a new outlet towards the fertile parts of the island! My dear Spilett, Cyrus.Smith said, why do you think it's not going the way it was? Well, volcanoes are unpredictable.replied the correspondent. Note, the engineer said, that the slope of Mount Franklin caused the mountain stream to flow towards the valley we are now exploring, and the direction of the flow would have to be changed, unless there was an earthquake that would change the center of gravity of the mountain. But at present, I am afraid that an earthquake may occur at any time.Ji Ding.Spilett said. At any time, the engineer said, yes, especially after the underground power has been suspended for a long time, and now it is just beginning to revive, it is possible to encounter some obstacles.Under these circumstances, my dear Spilett, an eruption of the volcano would have serious consequences for us.The best thing is that the volcano has no meaning of resurrection at all.But we can't stop it, can we?But even if it did erupt, I don't think Prospect Heights would be much of a threat.Because the ground between Prospect Heights and Mount Franklin is quite low, if the magma were to flow toward Grant Lake, it would fall on the sand dunes halfway and near Shark Bay. We haven't seen the smoke on the top of the mountain that indicates that the volcano is about to erupt.Ji Ding.Spilett said. Yes, said Smith, I just took a good look at the summit yesterday, and there isn't even a trace of smoke from the crater.But a long time has passed, and the lower part of the crater may accumulate some stones, cinders, and congealed lava, which may at any time accumulate too much and block the valve I just mentioned.However, after the first violent explosion, all obstacles were removed.Our desert islands are like boilers, and volcanoes are like chimneys; I assure you, my dear Spilett, that they will not explode under the pressure of the gases.Still, I say this, it's best if the volcano doesn't erupt. But we were not mistaken, the correspondent said that the inside of the volcano was clearly ringing! You are right, said the engineer, and listened a little longer, and there was a commotion inside.There is no doubt about it.We can neither estimate its power nor speculate what its consequences will be. Cyrus.After Smith and Spilett came out of the tunnel, they reported this to their companions. Hurrah!cried Pencroft, the Volcano is at fault!If it pleases, let it come!Someone will subdue it! who!asked Neb. Our good sage, Neb, our good sage, would have shut the mouth of the volcano if he had dared to speak! It can be seen from this incident that the sailor's belief in this god who guards the deserted island is very devout.This mysterious power has been used many times until now, and each time it has an inexplicable way of expression.Indeed, his power seemed boundless.Moreover, he knew how to evade the most careful scrutiny of the emigrants; in spite of their best efforts, notwithstanding even the tenacity of their expeditionary zeal, the abode of this mysterious figure could not be found. From February 19th to February 25th they searched the whole northern part of Lincoln Island, down to the most hidden corners.Residents even beat rock by rock, searching all the way to the edge of the mountain.In this way they came to the flattened top of the cone, where the rocks ended; And that's not all they do.They looked into the abyss.At this time there was no fire in the abyss, but there was a rumbling sound clearly from its depths.However, there is no indication that the volcano will erupt neither smoke nor hot stones.As for the man whom the emigrants sought, there was no trace of him, either here or in the rest of Franklin Hill. Then, they went to search the dunes.Although it was difficult to imagine the flat land of Shark Bay, they looked carefully from top to bottom to the lava cliffs that towered over the bay.But no one!nothing! In short, these two conclusions show that their efforts were in vain, and that Cyrus.Smith and his companions were disappointed, even a little annoyed. Now is the time to think about going home, because this search cannot be dragged on indefinitely.The inhabitants thought it certain that this mysterious being had never lived on the surface of the deserted island;Especially Pencroft and Neb, they thought that this matter was not just a mystery, so they thought beyond the realm of ordinary people. On the twenty-fifth of February the inhabitants returned to Granite Palace.Using their bows and arrows, they shot the double-strand rope over the threshold and restored communication between the grounds and the dwelling. Another month passed, and on the twenty-fifth of March they marked the third anniversary of their visit to Lincoln Island.