Page:Works of Jules Verne - Parke - Vol 6.djvu/352

 which he bore in Australia. The wretches had no scruples as to murdering Ayrton! They spared Ben Joyce!

From that moment Ayrton was exposed to the importunities of his former accomplices. They wished him to join them again, and relied upon his aid to enable them to gain possession of Granite House, to penetrate into that hitherto inaccessible dwelling, and to become masters of the island, after murdering the colonists! Ayrton remained firm. The once convict, now repentant and pardoned, would rather die than betray his companions. Ayrton—bound, gagged, and closely watched—lived in this cave for four months.

The convicts had discovered the corral soon after their arrival in the island, and since then had subsisted on its stores, but did not live in it. The colonists' appearance there had surprised the two villians, who fired at Herbert; and one of them returned, boasting of having killed one of the inhabitants of the island; but he returned alone. His companion, as is known, fell by Cyrus Harding's dagger.

Ayrton's anxiety and despair may be imagined when he learnt the news of Herbert's death. The settlers were now only four, and, as it seemed, helpless against the convicts. After this event, and during all the time that the colonists, detained by Herbert's illness, remained in the corral, the pirates seldom left their cavern, and even after they had pillaged the plateau of Prospect Heights, they did not think it prudent to abandon it.

The ill-treatment inflicted on Ayrton was now redoubled. His hands and feet still bore the bloody marks of the cords. which bound him day and night. Every moment he expected to be put to death, nor did it appear possible that he could escape. Matters remained thus until the third week of February. The convicts, still watching for a favorable opportunity, only made a few hunting excursions, either to the interior of the island, or the south coast. Ayrton had no further news of his friends, and relinquished all hope of ever seeing them again. At last, the unfortunate man, weakened by ill-treatment, fell into a prostration so profound that sight and hearing failed him. From that moment, that is to say, for the last two days, he could give no information whatever of what had occurred.

"But, Captain Harding," he added, "since I was im-