In "The Mysterious Island" by Jules Verne, part 3 titled "The Secret of the Island," the story resumes two and a half years after the castaways from a balloon landed on Lincoln Island. During this time, they have had no contact with the outside world, aside from a failed attempt to send a letter via a bird. On October 17th, they spot a vessel on the horizon, raising hopes for potential rescue. Cyrus Harding gathers the colonists—Herbert, Gideon Spilett, Pencroft, and Neb—to observe the ship. Pencroft confirms it's a vessel, but its intentions are unclear. The group decides to wait for further developments, filled with anticipation and uncertainty about what this new sighting might bring.
The Mysterious Island Part - 3
by Jules Verne 
in
English Adventure Stories
Description
It was now two years and a half since the castaways from the balloon had been thrown on Lincoln Island, and during that period there had been no communication between them and their fellow-creatures. Once the reporter had attempted to communicate with the inhabited world by confiding to a bird a letter which contained the secret of their situation, but that was a chance on which it was impossible to reckon seriously. Ayrton, alone, under the circumstances which have been re-lated, had come to join the little colony. Now, suddenly, on this day, the 17th of October, other men had unexpectedly ap-peared in sight of the island, on that deserted sea!
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