“We shall have to beat the forest,” said the engineer, “and rid the island of these wretches.  Pencroft’s presentiments were not mistaken, when he wished to hunt them as wild beasts.  That would have spared us all these misfortunes!”

“Yes,” answered the reporter, “but now we have the right to be merciless!”

“At any rate,” said the engineer, “we are obliged to wait some time, and to remain at the corral until we can carry Herbert without danger to Granite House.”

“But Neb?” asked the reporter.

“Neb is in safety.”

“But if, uneasy at our absence, he would venture to come?”

“He must not come!” returned Cyrus Harding quickly.  “He would be murdered on the road!”

“It is very probable, however, that he will attempt to rejoin us!”

“Ah, if the telegraph still acted, he might be warned!  But that is impossible now!  As to leaving Pencroft and Herbert here alone, we could not do it!  Well, I will go alone to Granite House.”

“No, no!  Cyrus,” answered the reporter, “you must not expose yourself!  Your courage would be of no avail.  The villains are evidently watching the corral, they are hidden in the thick woods which surround it, and if you go we shall soon have to regret two misfortunes instead of one!”

“But Neb?” repeated the engineer.  “It is now four-and-twenty hours since he has had any news of us!  He will be sure to come!”

“And as he will be less on his guard than we should be ourselves,” added Spilett, “he will be killed!”

“Is there really no way of warning him?”

While the engineer thought, his eyes fell on Top, who, going backwards and forwards seemed to say,—­

“Am not I here?”

“Top!” exclaimed Cyrus Harding.

The animal sprang at his master’s call.

“Yes, Top will go,” said the reporter, who had understood the engineer.

“Top can go where we cannot!  He will carry to Granite House the news of the corral, and he will bring back to us that from Granite House!”

“Quick!” said Harding.  “Quick!”

Spilett rapidly tore a leaf from his note-book, and wrote these words:—­

“Herbert wounded.  We are at the corral.  Be on your guard.  Do not leave
Granite House.  Have the convicts appeared in the neighborhood?  Reply by
Top.”

This laconic note contained all that Neb ought to know, and at the same time asked all that the colonists wished to know.  It was folded and fastened to Top’s collar in a conspicuous position.

“Top, my dog,” said the engineer, caressing the animal, “Neb, Top!  Neb!  Go, go!”

Top bounded at these words.  He understood, he knew what was expected of him.  The road to the corral was familiar to him.  In less than an hour he could clear it, and it might be hoped that where neither Cyrus Harding nor the reporter could have ventured without danger, Top, running among the grass or in the wood, would pass unperceived.