“Take care, captain!” cried Pencroft, “perhaps there are still some of these rascals.
“We shall soon see,” replied the engineer, without stopping however.
All his companions followed him, and in a minute they had arrived at the threshold. They searched everywhere. There was no one in the rooms nor in the storehouse, which had been respected by the band of quadrumana.
“Well now, and the ladder,” cried the sailor; “who can the gentleman have been who sent us that down?”
But at that moment a cry was heard, and a great orang, who had hidden himself in the passage, rushed into the room, pursued by Neb.
“Ah, the robber!” cried Pencroft.
And hatchet in hand, he was about to cleave the head of the animal, when Cyrus Harding seized his arm, saying,—
“Spare him, Pencroft.”
“Pardon this rascal?”
“Yes! it was he who threw us the ladder!”