The engineer looked fixedly at the man who spoke, and who added, in a low voice,—
“Captain Harding, will you try to escape?”
“When?” asked the engineer quickly, and it was evident that this question was uttered without consideration, for he had not yet examined the stranger who addressed him. But after having with a penetrating eye observed the open face of the sailor, he was convinced that he had before him an honest man.
“Who are you?” he asked briefly.
Pencroft made himself known.
“Well,” replied Harding, “and in what way do you propose to escape?”
“By that lazy balloon which is left there doing nothing, and which looks to me as if it was waiting on purpose for us —”
There was no necessity for the sailor to finish his sentence. The engineer understood him at once. He seized Pencr
