It was now exactly seven months since the balloon voyagers had been thrown on Lincoln Island. —
现在距离气球乘客被投射到林肯岛上已经整整七个月了。 —

During that time, notwithstanding the researches they had made, no human being had been discovered. —
在这段时间里，尽管他们进行了调查，但没有发现任何人类。 —

No smoke even had betrayed the presence of man on the surface of the island. —
岛上甚至没有任何烟雾暴露出人类的存在。 —

No vestiges of his handiwork showed that either at an early or at a late period had man lived there. Not only did it now appear to be uninhabited by any but themselves, but the colonists were compelled to believe that it never had been inhabited. —
也没有任何工作痕迹表明曾经有人在那里居住过，无论是早期还是最近。 —

And now, all this scaffolding of reasonings fell before a simple ball of metal, found in the body of an inoffensive rodent! —
现在，所有这些推理的结构都在一个无害的啮齿动物身上发现的一个简单的金属球面前崩溃了！ —

In fact, this bullet must have issued from a firearm, and who but a human being could have used such a weapon?
事实上，这颗子弹一定是从一支枪中发出的，除了人类谁还能使用这样的武器呢？

When Pencroft had placed the bullet on the table, his companions looked at it with intense astonishment. —
当彭克罗夫把子弹放在桌子上时，他的同伴们惊讶地看着它。 —

All the consequences likely to result from this incident, notwithstanding its apparent insignificance, immediately took possession of their minds. —
尽管这件事表面上微不足道，但所有可能产生的后果立刻控制了他们的思维。 —

The sudden apparition of a supernatural being could not have startled them more completely.
一个超自然的存在突然出现也不会更完全地使他们震惊。

Cyrus Harding did not hesitate to give utterance to the suggestions which this fact, at once surprising and unexpected, could not fail to raise in his mind. —
赛勒斯·哈丁毫不犹豫地发表了这个令人惊讶和意外的事实在他心中引起的所有建议。 —

He took the bullet, turned it over and over, rolled it between his finger and thumb; —
他拿起子弹，不停地转动着，用手指和拇指之间转动； —

then, turning to Pencroft, he asked,–
然后，转向彭克罗夫，问道，-

Are you sure that the peccary wounded by this bullet was not more than three months old?”
你能肯定这颗子弹击中的大猪不到三个月吗？

“Not more, captain,” replied Pencroft. “It was still sucking its mother when I found it in the trap.”
不会更多，队长，”彭克罗夫回答道，发现它陷在陷阱里时仍在吸吮母亲。

“Well,” said the engineer, “that proves that within three months a gun- shot was fired in Lincoln Island.”
“好吧，”工程师说，“这证明三个月内在林肯岛上开枪了。”

“And that a bullet,” added Gideon Spilett, “wounded, though not mortally, this little animal.”
“盖迪恩·斯皮莱特补充道：“这只小动物虽然没死，却受了枪伤。”

“That is unquestionable,” said Cyrus Harding, “and these are the deductions which must be drawn from this incident: —
“这是无可争辩的，”赛勒斯·哈丁说，“这事件推断出以下几点：” —

that the island was inhabited before our arrival, or that men have landed here within three months. —
“岛屿在我们到来之前就有人居住，或者在三个月内有人登陆过。” —

Did these men arrive here voluntarily or involuntarily, by disembarking on the shore or by being wrecked? —
“这些人是自愿来的，还是被迫来的，是在岸边登陆，还是遭遇了船难？” —

This point can only be cleared up later. —
“这一点只有以后才能弄清楚。” —

As to what they were, Europeans or Malays, enemies or friends of our race, we cannot possibly guess; and if they still inhabit the island, or if they have left it, we know not. —
“至于他们是欧洲人还是马来人，是我们的敌人还是朋友，我们根本无法猜测；如果他们仍然居住在这个岛上，或者已经离开，我们也不知道。” —

But these questions are of too much importance to be allowed to remain long unsettled.”
“但是这些问题太重要，不能让它们长时间悬而未决。”

“No! a hundred times no! a thousand times no!” cried the sailor, springing up from the table. —
“不！一百遍不！一千遍不！”水手从桌边跳起来。 —

“There are no other men than ourselves on Lincoln Island! By my faith! —
“林肯岛上除了我们自己，没有其他人！我发誓！” —

The island isn’t large and if it had been inhabited, we should have seen some of the inhabitants long before this!”
“岛不大，如果有人居住，我们早就该见到一些居民了！”

“In fact, the contrary would be very astonishing,” said Herbert.
“事实上，相反会非常令人惊讶，”赫伯特说。

“But it would be much more astonishing, I should think, observed the reporter, “if this peccary had been born with a bullet in its inside!”
“但我认为更令人惊讶的是，”记者说，“这只小野猪被生下来就带着一颗子弹！”

“At least,” said Neb seriously, “if Pencroft has not had–”
“至少，”内布认真地说，“如果彭克罗夫没有–”

“Look here, Neb,” burst out Pencroft. “Do you think I could have a bullet in my jaw for five or six months without finding it out? —
“听着，内布，”彭克罗夫打断道。“你认为我会在嘴里藏了一颗子弹五六个月而自己都不知道吗？ —

Where could it be hidden?” he asked, opening his mouth to show the two-and-thirty teeth with which it was furnished. —
“它会藏在哪里呢？”他问，睁开嘴展示着那三十二颗牙齿。 —

“Look well, Neb, and if you find one hollow tooth in this set, I will let you pull out half a dozen!”
“尼布，仔细看，如果在这套牙齿中找到一个空洞的牙齿，我就让你拔下半打！”

“Neb’s supposition is certainly inadmissible,” replied Harding, who, notwithstanding the gravity of his thoughts, could not restrain a smile. —
“尼布的假设显然是不可接受的，”哈丁回答道，尽管他的思想严肃，但仍然忍不住微笑。 —

“It is certain that a gun has been fired in the island, within three months at most. —
“这个岛上肯定是在最多三个月内开过枪。 —

But I am inclined to think that the people who landed on this coast were only here a very short time ago, or that they just touched here; —
但我倾向于认为登陆这个海岸的人只在这里待过很短的时间，或者他们只是路过； —

for if, when we surveyed the island from the summit of Mount Franklin, it had been inhabited, we should have seen them or we should have been seen ourselves. —
因为如果我们从富兰克林山顶眺望这个岛屿，发现有人居住，我们应该已经看到他们了，或者我们自己就被发现了。 —

It is therefore, probable that within only a few weeks castaways have been thrown by a storm on some part of the coast. —
因此，可能仅仅是几周前，倒霉遭到风暴的漂流者被抛上了海岸的某个地方。 —

However that may be, it is of consequence to us to have this point settled.”
不过不管怎样，搞清楚这一点对我们很重要。”

“I think that we should act with caution,” said the reporter.
“我认为我们应该谨慎行事，”记者说。

“Such is my advice,” replied Cyrus Harding, “for it is to be feared that Malay pirates have landed on the island!”
“这是我的建议，”赛勒斯·哈丁回答道，“因为恐怕马来海盗已经登陆这个岛屿！”

“Captain,” asked the sailor, “would it not be a good plan, before setting out, to build a canoe in which we could either ascend the river, or, if we liked, coast round the inland? —
“船长，”水手问道，“在动身之前，建造一艘独木舟是不是个好计划，我们可以用它来沿着河流上行，或者如果愿意，绕过内陆海岸游览？ —

It will not do to be unprovided.”
我们不应该毫无准备。”

“Your idea is good, Pencroft,” replied the engineer, “but we cannot wait for that. —
“你的想法不错，潘克洛夫，”工程师回答道，“但我们不能等待那样做。 —

It would take at least a month to build a boat.”
建造一艘船至少需要一个月。”

“Yes, a real boat,” replied the sailor; “but we do not want one for a sea voyage, and in five days at the most, I will undertake to construct a canoe fit to navigate the Mercy.”
“是的，一艘真正的船，”水手回答说；“但我们不需要用于远航，最多五天，我保证能建造一艘适合航行美慈河的独木舟。”

“Five days,” cried Neb, “to build a boat?”
“五天，”尼布喊道，“建造一条船？”

“Yes, Neb; a boat in the Indian fashion.”
“是的，尼布；一条印度风格的船。”

“Of wood?” asked the Negro, looking still unconvinced.
“是木头做的吗？”那位黑人问道，看起来仍然不太相信。

“Of wood,” replied Pencroft, “of rather of bark. —
“木头做的，”潘克罗夫回答说，“或者更确切地说是树皮。” —

I repeat, captain, that in five days the work will be finished!”
“我再说一遍，船在五天内就可以完成！”

“In five days, then, be it,” replied the engineer.
“那么就在五天内完成吧，”工程师回答道。

“But till that time we must be very watchful,” said Herbert.
“但在那之前我们必须非常警惕，”赫伯特说。

“Very watchful indeed, my friends,” replied Harding; —
“我的朋友们，的确非常要警惕。”哈定回答说； —

“and I beg you to confine your hunting excursions to the neighborhood of Granite House.”
“我求你们将你们的打猎探险局限在花岗岩屋附近。”

The dinner ended less gaily than Pencroft had hoped.
晚餐的结束没有潘克罗夫希望的那么快乐。

So, then, the island was, or had been, inhabited by others than the settlers. —
因此，那么这个岛屿是，或者曾经被其他人居住过。 —

Proved as it was by the incident of the bullet, it was hereafter an unquestionable fact, and such a discovery could not but cause great uneasiness among the colonists.
正如通过子弹事件所证明的那样，这以后就成了不容置疑的事实，而这样的发现不可避免地会使殖民者们感到很不安。

Cyrus Harding and Gideon Spilett, before sleeping, conversed long about the matter. —
赛勒斯·哈定和吉迪恩·斯派莱特在入睡前长时间地讨论了这件事。 —

They asked themselves if by chance this incident might not have some connection with the inexplicable way in which the engineer had been saved, and the other peculiar circumstances which had struck them at different times. —
们又问自己这个事件是否可能与工程师免于灾难性危险的难以解释的方式，以及其他在不同时间引起过他们注目的奇怪的情况有某种联系。 —

However, Cyrus Harding, after having discussed the pros and cons of the question, ended by saying,–
然而，赛勒斯·哈定在讨论了问题的利弊后，最后说道，—

“In short, would you like to know my opinion, my dear Spilett?”
”总之，你想知道我的看法，我亲爱的斯派莱特吗？

“Yes, Cyrus.”
“是的，赛勒斯。”

“Well, then, it is this: however minutely we explore the island, we shall find nothing.”
“那么，问题就在于：无论我们怎样细致地探索这个岛，我们都找不到任何东西。”

The next day Pencroft set to work. He did not mean to build a boat with boards and planking, but simply a flat-bottomed canoe, which would be well suited for navigating the Mercy–above all, for approaching its source, where the water would naturally be shallow. —
第二天，彭克罗夫开始动工。他并不打算用板条来建造一艘船，而是一个底部平坦的独木舟，非常适合在“怜悯号”上航行，尤其是接近其水源的地方，那里的水自然会比较浅。 —

Pieces of bark, fastened one to the other, would form a light boat; —
树皮一块一块地连接起来，将构成一艘轻便的船只； —

and in case of natural obstacles, which would render a portage necessary, it would be easily carried. —
而且在遇到自然障碍需要搬运的情况下，它也可以很容易地搬运。 —

Pencroft intended to secure the pieces of bark by means of nails, to insure the canoe being water-tight.
彭克罗夫打算用钉子将树皮固定好，以确保独木舟不渗水。

It was first necessary to select the trees which would afford a strong and supple bark for the work. —
首先需要选取树木，以提供坚固而柔韧的树皮用于工作。 —

Now the last storm had brought down a number of large birch-trees, the bark of which would be perfectly suited for their purpose. —
现在最近的风暴击倒了许多大桦树，其树皮非常适合他们的目的。 —

Some of these trees lay on the ground, and they had only to be barked, which was the most difficult thing of all, owing to the imperfect tools which the settlers possessed. —
其中一些树倒在地上，只需将其剥皮，这是因为殖民者们拥有的工具不完善，因此成为最难的事情。 —

However, they overcame all difficulties.
然而，他们克服了所有的困难。

While the sailor, seconded by the engineer, thus occupied himself without losing an hour, Gideon Spilett and Herbert were not idle.
当水手在工作的时候，得到工程师的帮助，吉迪恩·斯派莱特和赫伯特也没有闲着。

They were made purveyors to the colony. The reporter could not but admire the boy, who had acquired great skill in handling the bow and spear. —
他们成为了殖民地的供应者。记者不得不钦佩这个男孩，他已经非常熟练地使用弓和矛。 —

Herbert also showed great courage and much of that presence of mind which may justly be called “the reasoning of bravery.” —
赫伯特也表现出了极大的勇气，以及那种可以称之为“勇敢的推理”的沉着。 —

These two companions of the chase, remembering Cyrus Harding’s recommendations, did not go beyond a radius of two miles round Granite House; —
狩猎中的这两个伙伴记住了赛勒斯·哈定的建议，没有超出格兰特别墅周围两英里的半径； —

but the borders of the forest furnished a sufficient tribute of agoutis, capybaras, kangaroos, peccaries, etc. —
但是森林边界提供了足够的agoutis、capybaras、袋鼠、西加里猪等猎物。 —

; and if the result from the traps was less than during the cold, still the warren yielded its accustomed quota, which might have fed all the colony in Lincoln Island.
如果陷阱的结果比寒冷时期少，那么这个兔子洞还是会产出它惯常的产量，这可能足够养活林肯岛上的整个殖民地。

Often during these excursions, Herbert talked with Gideon Spilett on the incident of the bullet, and the deductions which the engineer drew from it, and one day–it was the 26th of October–he said–“But, Mr. Spilett, do you not think it very extraordinary that, if any castaways have landed on the island, they have not yet shown themselves near Granite House?”
经常在这些探险中，赫伯特和吉迪恩·斯皮莱特谈论了枪弹事件以及工程师从中得出的推断，直到有一天——那是10月26日——他说：“但是，斯皮莱特先生，您不认为，如果有任何遇难者登上过这个岛，他们还没有在花岗岩屋附近露面，是非常不寻常的吗？”

“Very astonishing if they are still here,” replied the reporter, “but not astonishing at all if they are here no longer!”
“如果他们仍然在这里，那么他们还没有展示自己，”记者回答说，“这是非常惊人的事情，但如果他们已经不在这里了，那就一点也不惊人！”

“So you think that these people have already quitted the island?” returned Herbert.
“那么你认为这些人已经离开了这个岛？”赫伯特回答道。

“It is more than probable, my boy; for if their stay was prolonged, and above all, if they were still here, some accident would have at last betrayed their presence.”
“很有可能，我的孩子；因为如果他们停留时间延长，特别是如果他们还在这里，最终某些事故会暴露他们的存在。”

“But if they were able to go away,” observed the lad, “they could not have been castaways.”
“但如果他们能够离开，”年轻人观察到，“他们就不能被称为遇难者。”

“No, Herbert; or, at least, they were what might be called provisional castaways. —
“不，赫伯特；至少，他们可以被称为临时遇难者。” —

It is very possible that a storm may have driven them to the island without destroying their vessel, and that, the storm over, they went away again.”
“很可能是一场风暴把他们吹到这个岛上，但没有摧毁他们的船只，风暴过去后，他们又离开了。”

“I must acknowledge one thing,” said Herbert, “it is that Captain Harding appears rather to fear than desire the presence of human beings on our island.”
“我必须承认一件事，”赫伯特说，“那就是哈丁船长似乎对我们岛上的人类存在有些担忧，而非期待。”

“In short,” responded the reporter, “there are only Malays who frequent these seas, and those fellows are ruffians which it is best to avoid.”
“简而言之，”记者回答说，“这些海域频繁出没的只有马来人，那些家伙是最好避开的无赖。”

“It is not impossible, Mr. Spilett,” said Herbert, “that some day or other we may find traces of their landing.”
“斯皮莱特先生，”赫伯特说，“不排除有一天我们会发现他们登岛时留下的痕迹。”

“I do not say no, my boy. A deserted camp, the ashes of a fire, would put us on the track, and this is what we will look for in our next expedition.”
“我不否认，我的孩子。一个被遗弃的营地，火炉的余烬，会给我们留下线索，这是我们下次探险要寻找的。”

The day on which the hunters spoke thus, they were in a part of the forest near the Mercy, remarkable for its beautiful trees. —
猎人们谈论这件事的那天，他们身处福利河附近的森林中的某个地方，那里的树木异常美丽。 —

There, among others, rose, to a height of nearly 200 feet above the ground, some of those superb coniferae, to which, in New Zealand, the natives give the name of Kauris.
这里，有一些令人惊叹的柏树，高达近200英尺，是新西兰土著人称为卡乌利的壮丽树木之一。

“I have an idea, Mr. Spilett,” said Herbert. —
“我有一个主意，斯皮莱特先生，”赫伯特说。 —

“If I were to climb to the top of one of these kauris, I could survey the country for an immense distance round.”
“假如我爬上这些长空青杉之一的顶端，我就可以俯瞰周围广阔的土地。”

“The idea is good,” replied the reporter; “but could you climb to the top of those giants?”
“这主意不错，”记者回答道，”但你能爬上那些巨树的顶端吗？”

“I can at least try,” replied Herbert.
“我至少可以试试,” 赫伯特回答道。

The light and active boy then sprang on the first branches, the arrangement of which made the ascent of the kauri easy, and in a few minutes he arrived at the summit, which emerged from the immense plain of verdure.
这位轻盈而灵活的男孩随后跳到第一根树枝上，这些树枝的排列使得攀爬长空青杉变得容易，几分钟后他到达了顶端，从那里他可以俯瞰整片广袤的绿色平原。

From this elevated situation his gaze extended over all the southern portion of the island, from Claw Cape on the southeast, to Reptile End on the southwest. —
从这个高高的位置，他的视线延伸到岛屿的南部所有地区，从东南方的爪爪角到西南方的爬行动物角。 —

To the northwest rose Mount Franklin, which concealed a great part of the horizon.
西北方则是弗兰克林山，遮挡了大部分的地平线。

But Herbert, from the height of his observatory, could examine all the yet unknown portion of the island, which might have given shelter to the strangers whose presence they suspected.
但是从他的观察所在地的高度，赫伯特可以查看整个岛屿的尚未探明的部分，也许这些地方曾给那些他们怀疑的陌生人提供了庇护。

The lad looked attentively. There was nothing in sight on the sea, not a sail, neither on the horizon nor near the island. —
这个年轻人认真地看着。海上没有任何东西，没有帆船，无论在地平线上还是靠近岛屿。 —

However, as the bank of trees hid the shore, it was possible that a vessel, especially if deprived of her masts, might lie close to the land and thus be invisible to Herbert.
然而，由于树丛遮挡了海岸，一艘船，尤其是如果失去了桅杆的话，可能靠近陆地，从而对赫伯特不可见。

Neither in the forests of the Far West was anything to be seen. —
在西部辽阔的森林也看不到任何东西。 —

The wood formed an impenetrable screen, measuring several square miles, without a break or an opening. —
这片树木形成了一片密不透风的屏障，面积数平方英里，没有破裂或开口。 —

It was impossible even to follow the course of the Mercy, or to ascertain in what part of the mountain it took its source. —
完全不能跟随默西河的流向，也不能确定山脉的哪一部分是它的源头。 —

Perhaps other creeks also ran towards the west, but they could not be seen.
也许其他的小溪也向西流去，但看不见。

But at last, if all indication of an encampment escaped Herbert’s sight could he not even catch a glimpse of smoke, the faintest trace of which would be easily discernible in the pure atmosphere?
但最后，假设所有有关一个营地的迹象都躲过了赫伯特的眼睛，他难道就连一丝烟雾的踪迹也看不见吗？哪怕是在晴朗的大气中，最微弱的迹象也能够轻易辨认。

For an instant Herbert thought he could perceive a slight smoke in the west, but a more attentive examination showed that he was mistaken. —
赫伯特短暂地以为可以在西边看到一丝烟雾，但更仔细的观察显示他错了。 —

He strained his eyes in every direction, and his sight was excellent. —
他朝四面八方竭力注视，视力非常出色。 —

No, decidedly there was nothing there.
不，显然那里什么都没有。

Herbert descended to the foot of the kauri, and the two sportsmen returned to Granite House. There Cyrus Harding listened to the lad’s account, shook his head and said nothing. —
赫伯特下到卡乌里树的根部，两位猎人回到花岗岩屋。那,Cyrus Harding听着小伙子的叙述,摇了摇头,什么也没说。 —

It was very evident that no decided opinion could be pronounced on this question until after a complete exploration of the island.
很明显,在进行整个岛屿的探险之前,对这个问题不可能做出明确的结论。

Two days after–the 28th of October–another incident occurred, for which an explanation was again required.
两天后——10月28日——发生了另一起事件,再次需要解释。

While strolling along the shore about two miles from Granite House, Herbert and Neb were fortunate enough to capture a magnificent specimen of the order of chelonia. —
在距离花岗岩屋大约两英里的海滩漫步时,赫伯特和尼布幸运地捕获了一个属于龟鳖目的壮丽样本。 —

It was a turtle of the species Midas, the edible green turtle, so called from the color both of its shell and fat.
这是一只翠绿乌龟品种的乌龟,被称为梅达斯,可食用翠绿乌龟,以其壳和脂肪都是这种颜色而得名。

Herbert caught sight of this turtle as it was crawling among the rocks to reach the sea.
赫伯特看见这只乌龟正从岩石间爬行朝着海洋。

“Help, Neb, help!” he cried.
“快来帮忙,尼布!“他大喊道。

Neb ran up.
尼布跑了过来。

“What a fine animal!” said Neb; “but how are we to catch it?”
“多么漂亮的动物!“尼布说; “但我们怎么抓住它呢?”

“Nothing is easier, Neb,” replied Herbert. —
“没什么比这更简单的了,尼布,” 赫伯特回答说。 —

“We have only to turn the turtle on its back, and it cannot possibly get away. —
“我们只需要把乌龟翻过来,它就绝对逃不走。 —

Take your spear and do as I do.”
拿上你的矛,像我这样做吧.”

The reptile, aware of danger, had retired between its carapace and plastron. —
这种爬行动物意识到危险,已经缩进甲板和腹甲之间。 —

They no longer saw its head or feet, and it was motionless as a rock.
他们再也看不到龟的头或脚了，它就像一块岩石一样没有动弹。

Herbert and Neb then drove their sticks underneath the animal, and by their united efforts managed without difficulty to turn it on its back. —
赫伯特和尼布随后把他们的棍子伸到动物下面，并通过他们的共同努力，轻而易举地把它翻到了背面。 —

The turtle, which was three feet in length, would have weighed at least four hundred pounds.
这只三英尺长的海龟至少重达四百磅。

“Capital!” cried Neb; “this is something which will rejoice friend Pencroft’s heart.”
“太好了！”尼布喊道。“这将使彭克罗夫特的心情欢快。”

In fact, the heart of friend Pencroft could not fail to be rejoiced, for the flesh of the turtle, which feeds on wrack-grass, is extremely savory. —
实际上，朋友彭克罗夫特的心情肯定会很高兴，因为以枯草为食的海龟肉味道极佳。 —

At this moment the creature’s head could be seen, which was small, flat, but widened behind by the large temporal fossae hidden under the long roof.
此时可以看到这种动物的头部，头部很小，扁平，但在长长的屋顶下面的大颞窩后方加宽。

“And now, what shall we do with our prize?” said Neb. “We can’t drag it to Granite House!”
“那么，我们现在该怎么处理我们的战利品呢？”尼布说。“我们不能把它拖到花岗岩屋去！”

“Leave it here, since it cannot turn over,” replied Herbert, “and we will come back with the cart to fetch it.”
“把它留在这里，因为它无法翻身。”赫伯特回答，“我们会回来用马车把它取走。”

“That is the best plan.”
“这是最好的计划。”

However, for greater precaution, Herbert took the trouble, which Neb deemed superfluous, to wedge up the animal with great stones; —
然而，为了更加谨慎，赫伯特费了一番功夫，尼布认为多此一举，用大石头支起这只动物； —

after which the two hunters returned to Granite House, following the beach, which the tide had left uncovered. —
然后两名猎人沿着潮水暴露出来的海滩返回了花岗岩屋。 —

Herbert, wishing to surprise Pencroft, said nothing about the “superb specimen of a chelonian” which they had turned over on the sand; —
赫伯特想要给彭克罗夫特一个惊喜，没有提到他们在沙滩上翻过的“华丽的海龟标本”； —

but, two hours later, he and Neb returned with the cart to the place where they had left it. —
但是，两个小时后，他和尼布带着马车回到他们留下它的地方。 —

The “superb specimen of a chelonian” was no longer there!
那只“华丽的海龟标本”不见了！

Neb and Herbert stared at each other first; then they stared about them. —
尼布和赫伯特先是相互对视，然后四处张望。 —

It was just at this spot that the turtle had been left. —
就在这个地方，乌龟被留下了。 —

The lad even found the stones which he had used, and therefore he was certain of not being mistaken.
小伙子甚至找到了他当初用过的石头，所以他确定没有弄错。

“Well!” said Neb, “these beasts can turn themselves over, then?”
“嘿!” 尼布说, “这些动物能自己翻过身来吗?”

“It appears so,” replied Herbert, who could not understand it at all, and was gazing at the stones scattered on the sand.
“看起来是这样,” 小哈伯特回答，完全不理解，盯着铺在沙滩上的石头。

“Well, Pencroft will be disgusted!”
“潘克罗夫会感到很失望的!”

“And Captain Harding will perhaps be very perplexed how to explain this disappearance,” thought Herbert.
“而哈丁船长也可能会为解释这场消失感到困惑,” 哈伯特心想。

“Look here,” said Neb, who wished to hide his ill-luck, “we won’t speak about it.”
“看这儿,“尼布想掩饰他的倒霉, “我们不要谈这事。”

“On the contrary, Neb, we must speak about it,” replied Herbert.
“相反，尼布，我们必须谈论这事,“哈伯特回答。

And the two, taking the cart, which there was now no use for, returned to Granite House.
于是两人将已经没有用处的推车带回到花岗岩屋。

Arrived at the dockyard, where the engineer and the sailor were working together, Herbert recounted what had happened.
当到达码头时，工程师和水手正在一起工作，哈伯特讲述了发生的事情。

“Oh! the stupids!” cried the sailor, “to have let at least fifty meals escape!”
“噢! 这些傻瓜!” 水手叫道，”至少让五十顿饭食逃走了!”

“But, Pencroft,” replied Neb, “it wasn’t our fault that the beast got away; —
“可是，潘克罗夫,” 尼布回答, “这只兽离开与我们无关； —

as I tell you, we had turned it over on its back!”
就像我告诉你的那样，我们已经把它翻过来了!”

“Then you didn’t turn it over enough!” returned the obstinate sailor.
“那么你们翻的还不够!” 顽固的水手回答。

“Not enough!” cried Herbert.
“还不够!” 哈伯特叫道.

And he told how he had taken care to wedge up the turtle with stones.
他说他是如何用石头将海龟支撑起来的。

“It is a miracle, then!” replied Pencroft.
“那就是个奇迹！”潘克罗夫回答道。

“I thought, captain,” said Herbert, “that turtles, once placed on their backs, could not regain their feet, especially when they are of a large size?’
“我以为，队长，”赫伯特说，“一旦海龟被翻转到背部，特别是体型较大的海龟，就无法翻身了吧？”

“That is true, my boy,” replied Cyrus Harding.
“没错，我的孩子，”赛勒斯·哈丁回答道。

“Then how did it manage?”
“那么它是怎么做到的？”

“At what distance from the sea did you leave this turtle?” —
“你离海有多远留下这只海龟？” —

asked the engineer, who, having suspended his work, was reflecting on this incident.
“ 此时作为主要进行考虑的工程师，中断了工作，正思考这件事情的细节。

“Fifteen feet at the most,” replied Herbert.
“最多十五英尺左右，“赫伯特回答道。

“And the tide was low at the time?”
“ 当时正值**退潮期吧？”

“Yes, captain.”
“是的，队长。”

“Well,” replied the engineer, “what the turtle could not do on the sand it might have been able to do in the water. —
“好吧，”工程师回答，“海龟在沙滩上做不到的事情，也许在水中能做到。 —

It turned over when the tide overtook it, and then quietly returned to the deep sea.”
潮水涨上来时，它翻身过来，然后悄然回到深海。”

“Oh! what stupids we were!” cried Neb.
“哦！我们太愚蠢了！”尼布喊道。

“That is precisely what I had the honor of telling you before!” returned the sailor.
“这正是我之前有幸告诉你们的！”水手回答道。

Cyrus Harding had given this explanation, which, no doubt, was admissible. —
赛勒斯·哈丁提出了这个解释，毫无疑问是合理的。 —

But was he himself convinced of the accuracy of this explanation? —
但他自己是否确信这种解释的准确性呢？ —

It cannot be said that he was.
不能说他确信。