Swiss Family Robinson

convenient landing place, I cast off the ropes which secured the animals, and let them get ashore as best they might.
    There was no sign of my wife or children when we stepped on land, but a few moments afterwards they appeared, and with a shout of joy ran towards us.
    We were thankful to be once more united, and after asking and replying to a few preliminary questions, proceeded to release our herd from their swimming belts, which, though so useful in the water, were exceedingly inconvenient on shore. My wife was astonished at the apparatus. `How clever you are,' said she.
    `I am not the inventor,' I replied, `the honour is due to Fritz. He not only thought of this plan for bringing off the animals, but saved one at least of them from a most fearful death.' And I then told them how bravely he had encountered the shark. My wife was delighted with her son's success, but declared that she would dread our trips to the vessel more than ever, knowing that such savage fish inhabited the waters.
    Fritz, Ernest and I began the work of unloading our craft, while Jack, seeing that the poor donkey was still encumbered with his swimming-belt, tried to free him from it. But the donkey would not stand quiet, and the child's fingers were not strong enough to loosen the cordage; finally, therefore, he scrambled upon the animal's back, and urging him on with hand and foot, trotted towards us.
    `Come, my boy,' I said, `no one must be idle here, even for a moment; you will have riding practise enough hereafter; dismount and come and help us.'
    Jack was soon on his feet. `But I have not been idle all day,' he said, `look here!' and he pointed to a belt round his waist. It was a broad belt of yellow skin in which he had stuck a couple of pistols and a knife. `And see,' he added, `what I have made for the dogs. Here, Juno, Turk,' the dogs came bounding up at his call, and I saw that they were each supplied with a collar of the same skin, in which were fastened nails, which bristled round their necks in a most formidable manner.
    `Capital, capital! my boy,' said I, `but where did you get your materials, and who helped you?'
    `Except in sewing,' said my wife, `he had little assistance, and as for the materials, Fritz's jackal supplied us with the skin, and the needles and thread came out of my wonderful bag. You little think how many useful things may be had from that same bag; it is woman's duty and nature, you know, to see after trifles.'
    Fritz evidently did not approve of the use to which his jackal's hide had been devoted, and holding his nose, begged his little brother to keep at a distance. `Really, Jack,' he said, `you should have cured the hide before you used it, the smell is disgusting, don't come near me.'
    `It's not the hide that smells at all,' retorted Jack, `it is your nasty jackal itself that you left in the sun.'
    `Now, boys,' said I, `no quarrelling here; do you, Jack, help your brother to drag the carcase to the sea, and if your belt smells after that you must take it off and dry it better.'
    The jackal was dragged off, and we then finished our work of unloading our boat. When this was accomplished we started for our tent, and finding there no preparation for supper, I said, `Fritz, let us have a Westphalian ham.'
    `Ernest,' said my wife, smiling, ` let us see if we cannot conjure up some eggs.'
    Fritz got out a splendid ham and carried it to his mother triumphantly, while Ernest set before me a dozen white balls with parchment-like coverings.
    `Turtles' eggs!' said I. ` Well done, Ernest, where did you get them?'
    `That,' replied my wife, `shall be told in due course when we relate our adventures; now we will see what they will do towards making a supper for you; with these and your ham I do not think we shall starve.'
    Leaving my wife to prepare supper, we returned to the shore and brought up what of the cargo we had left there; then, having collected our herd of animals (except for the sow, which ran away, and the ducks and geese which deserted us for a nearby marshy swamp), we returned to the tent.
    The meal which awaited us was as unlike the first supper we had there enjoyed as possible. My wife had improvised a table of a board laid on two casks, on this was spread a white damask tablecloth, on which were placed knives, forks, spoons and plates for each person. A tureen of good soup first appeared, followed by a capital omelette , then slices of the ham; and finally some Dutch cheese, butter and biscuits, with a