Do not forget that, I beg of you." "No, captain, no, we shan't forget it," replied Pencroft; "and if ever I find one of those tobacco-seeds, which multiply by three hundred and sixty thousand, I assure you I won't throw it away! And now, what must we do ?" "We must plant this grain," replied Herbert.
"Yes," added Gideon Spilett, "and with every possible care, for it bears in itself our future harvests." "Provided it grows!" cried the sailor.
"It will grow," replied Cyrus Harding.
This was the 20th of June.

The time was then propitious for sowing this single precious grain of corn.

It was first proposed to plant it in a pot, but upon reflection it was decided to leave it to nature, and confide it to the earth.

This was done that very day, and it is needless to add, that every precaution was taken that the experiment might succeed.
The weather having cleared, the settlers climbed the height above Granite House.

There, on the plateau, they chose a spot, well sheltered from the wind, and exposed to all the heat of the midday sun.