"The 'Duncan'!" exclaimed Cyrus Harding.And raising his hand to Heaven, he said, "Oh! Almighty God! mercifully hast Thou preserved us!"It was, in fact, the "Duncan," Lord Glenarvan's yacht, now commanded by Robert, son of Captain Grant, who had been despatched to Tabor Island to find Ayrton, and bring him back to his native land alter twelve years of expiation.
The colonists were not only saved, but already on the way to their native country.
"Captain Grant," asked Cyrus Harding, "who can have suggested to you the idea, after having left Tabor Island, where you did not find Ayrton, of coming a hundred miles farther northeast?""Captain Harding," replied Robert Grant, "it was in order to find, not only Ayrton, but yourself and your companions.""My companions and myself?"
"Doubtless, at Lincoln Island."
"At Lincoln Island!" exclaimed in a breath Gideon Spilett, Herbert, Neb, and Pencroft, in the highest degree astonished.
"How could you be aware of the existence of Lincoln Island?" inquired Cyrus Harding, "it is not even named in the charts.""I knew of it from a document left by you on Tabor Island," answered Robert Grant.
"A document!" cried Gideon Spilett.
"Without doubt, and here it is," answered Robert Grant, producing a paper which indicated the longitude and latitude of Lincoln Island, "the present residence of Ayrton and five American colonists.""It is Captain Nemo!" cried Cyrus Harding, after having read the notice, and recognized that the handwriting was similar to that of the paper found at the corral.
"Ah!" said Pencroft, "it was then he who took our 'Bonadventure' and hazarded himself alone to go to Tabor Island!""In order to leave this notice," added Herbert.