How long this sojourn or rather relaxation of the "Terror" in the
Great Eyrie was to last, I did not know. I saw, however, on the
afternoon of this third of August that the repairs and the
embarkation of stores were completed. The hold and lockers of our
craft must have been completely crowded with the provisions taken
from the grottoes of the Eyrie.
Then the chief of the two assistants, a man whom I now recognized as
that John Turner who had been mate of the "Albatross," began another
labor. With the help of his companion, he dragged to the center of
the hollow all that remained of their materials, empty cases,
fragments of carpentry, peculiar pieces of wood which clearly must
have belonged to the "Albatross," which had been sacrificed to this
new and mightier engine of locomotion. Beneath this mass there lay a
great quantity of dried grasses. The thought came to me that Robur
was preparing to leave this retreat forever!
In fact, he could not be ignorant that the attention of the public
was now keenly fixed upon the Great Eyrie; and that some further
attempt was likely to be made to penetrate it. Must he not fear that
some day or other the effort would be successful, and that men would
end by invading his hiding-place? Did he not wish that they should
find there no single evidence of his occupation?
The sun disappeared behind the crests of the Blueridge.
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