They had hopes therefore of arriving in time to save him.

"Let us look for him! let us look for him!" cried Neb.
"Yes, Neb," replied Gideon Spilett, "and we will find him too!" "Living, I trust!" "Still living!" "Can he swim ?" asked Pencroft.
"Yes," replied Neb, "and besides, Top is there." The sailor, observing the heavy surf on the shore, shook his head.
The engineer had disappeared to the north of the shore, and nearly half a mile from the place where the castaways had landed.

The nearest point of the beach he could reach was thus fully that distance off.
It was then nearly six o'clock.

A thick fog made the night very dark.
The castaways proceeded toward the north of the land on which chance had thrown them, an unknown region, the geographical situation of which they could not even guess.

They were walking upon a sandy soil, mingled with stones, which appeared destitute of any sort of vegetation.