All came up and saw, to their astonishment, a boat following the current. “Canoe, ahoy!” shouted Pencroff from force of habit, forgetting that it might be better to keep quiet. There was no answer. The boat continued to drift, and it was not more than a dozen paces off, when the sailor exclaimed:— “Why, it’s our canoe! She has broken away and drifted down with the current. Well, we must admit that she comes in the nick of time!” “Our canoe!” murmured the engineer. Pencroff was right. It was indeed their canoe, which had doubtless broken loose and drifted all the way from the headwaters of the Mercy! It was important to seize it in passing before it should be drawn into the rapid current at the mouth of the river, and Pencroff and Neb, by the aid of a long pole, did this, and drew the canoe to the bank. The engineer stepped in first, and, seizing the rope, assured himself that it had been really worn in two against the rocks. “This,” said the reporter in an undertone; “this is a coincidence—” “It is very strange!” answered the engineer. At least it was fortunate, and while no one could doubt that the rope had been broken by friction, the astonishing part of the affair was that the canoe had arrived at the moment when the colonists were there to seize it, for a quarter of an hour later, and it would have been carried out to sea. Had there been such things as genii, this incident would have been sufficient to make the colonists believe that the island was inhabited by a supernatural being, who placed his power at their disposal. With a few strokes the party arrived at the mouth of the Mercy. The canoe was drawn on shore at the Chimneys, and all took their way to the ladder at Granite House. But, just then, Top began barking furiously, and Neb, who was feeling for the lower rung, cried out:— “The ladder’s gone!” CHAPTER XXVIII PENCROFF’S HALLOOS—A NIGHT IN THE CHIMNEYS—HERBERT’S ARROW—SMITH’S PLAN—AN UNEXPECTED SOLUTION—WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN GRANITE HOUSE—HOW THE COLONISTS OBTAINED A NEW DOMESTIC. Smith stood silent. His companions searched in the obscurity along the wall, over the ground, for the broken part of the ladder, supposing it had been torn off by the wind. But the ladder had certainly disappeared, although it was impossible to tell in the darkness whether a gust of wind had not carried it up and lodged it on the first ledge. “If this is a joke, it’s a pretty poor one,” cried Pencroff. “To get home and not be able to find the staircase, won’t do for tired men.” Neb stood in open-mouthed amazement. “It could not have been carried away by the wind!” said Herbert. “I’m beginning to think that strange things happen in Lincoln Island!” said Pencroff. “Strange?” rejoined Spilett. “Why no, Pencroff, nothing is more natural. Somebody has come while we have been absent, and has taken possession of the house and drawn up the ladder!”. “Some one!” cried the sailor. “Who could it be?”