Swiss Family Robinson

vinegar by the time we get home. In the heat of the sun, it will ferment soon after being drawn from the nut.'
    `Vinegar! Oh, that would be a horrid bore! I must look directly, and see how it is getting on,' cried Fritz, hastily swinging the flask from his shoulder, and tugging out the cork. With a loud `pop' the contents came forth, foaming like champagne.
    `There now!' said I, laughing as he tasted this new luxury. `You will have to exercise moderation again, friend Fritz! I daresay it is delicious, but it will go to your head, if you venture deep into your flask.'
    `My dear father, you cannot think how good it is! Do take some. Vinegar, indeed! This is like excellent wine.'
    We were both invigorated by this unexpected draught, and went on so merrily after it, that the distance to the place where we had left our gourd dishes seemed less than we expected. We found them quite dry, and very light and easy to carry.
    Just as we had passed through the grove in which we breakfasted, Turk suddenly darted away from us, and sprang furiously among a troop of monkeys, which were gambolling playfully on the turf at a little distance from the trees. They were taken by surprise completely, and the dog, now really ravenous from hunger, had seized one, and was fiercely tearing it to pieces before we could approach the spot.
    His luckless victim was the mother of a tiny little monkey, which, being on her back when the dog flew at her, had hindered her flight; the little creature attempted to hide among the grass, and in trembling fear watched the tragic fate of its mother.
    On perceiving Turk's bloodthirsty design, Fritz had eagerly rushed to the rescue, flinging away all he was carrying, and losing his hat in his haste. All to no purpose as far as the poor mother ape was concerned, and a laughable scene ensued, for no sooner did the young monkey catch sight of him than at one bound it was on his shoulders, and, holding fast by his thick curly hair, it firmly kept its seat in spite of all he could do to dislodge it. He screamed and plunged about as he endeavoured to shake or pull the creature off, but all in vain, it only clung the closer to his neck, making the most absurd grimaces.
    I laughed so much at this ridiculous scene, that I could scarcely assist my terrified boy out of his awkward predicament. Indeed, I told Fritz that the animal, having lost its mother, seemed determined to adopt Fritz. "Perhaps he has discovered in you something of the air of a father of a family."
    "Or rather," Fritz retorted, "the little rogue has found out that he has to do with a chicken-heart, who shrinks from the idea of ill-treating an animal which has thrown itself on his protection. But father, he is yanking my hair terribly, and I shall be obliged to you to try once more to get him off."
    At last, by coaxing the monkey, offering it a bit of biscuit, and gradually disentangling its small sinewy paws from the curls it grasped so tightly, I managed to relieve poor Fritz, who then looked with interest at the baby ape, no bigger than a kitten, as it lay in my arms.
    `What a jolly little fellow it is!' exclaimed he. `Do let me try to rear it, father. I daresay cocoanut milk would do until we can bring the cow and the goats from the wreck. If he lives he might be useful to us. I believe monkeys instinctively know what fruits are wholesome and what are poisonous.'
    `Well,' said I, `let the little orphan be yours. You bravely and kindly exerted yourself to save the mother's life, now you must train her child carefully, for unless you do so its natural instinct will prove mischievous instead of useful to us.'
    Turk was meanwhile devouring with great satisfaction the little animal's unfortunate mother. Fritz wished to drive him away from the feast, but I could not grudge it him, and reminded Fritz that continued hunger might have made Turk dangerous to ourselves . We did not think it necessary to wait until he had dined, so we prepared to resume our march, conversing as we walked.
    "Let me remind you," I said, "in our situation, it would be dangerous to teach the dogs not to attack and kill, if they can, whatever unknown animals they meet. You will see that he will soon regard your little monkey as a member of our family. But we must not discourage him from his fancy for attacking wild beasts. Heaven has bestowed the dog on man to be his safeguard and ally, and the horse the same. A man on horseback, accompanied by a troop of well-trained dogs, need not