Swiss Family Robinson

would show me how to make butter. Day after day, I have the annoyance of seeing a large supply of good cream go bad under my very eyes, simply because I have no use to which to put it. Invent a plan, please do.'
    `I think that perhaps I can help you,' I replied after a little consideration, `not that I can claim the honour of the invention of my plan, that is due to the Hottentots. I will see what I can do. Jack, bring me one of our gourd bottles.'
    I took the gourd, one of those I had previously prepared, with a small hole at one end and well hollowed-out and cleaned; this I partially filled with cream and then corked up the hole tightly.
    `Here, boys,' said I, `you can continue the operation while I turn carpenter and make a cart to take the place of our sledge.' I gave them their directions, and then set about my own work.
    They fixed four posts in the ground, and to them fastened a square piece of sailcloth by four cords attached to the corners. In this cradle they placed the gourd of cream, and each taking a side, rolled it backwards and forwards continuously for half an hour.
    `Now,' I cried, looking up from my work, `open the gourd and take the contents to your mother, with my compliments.'
    They did so; and my good wife's eyes were delighted with the sight of a large lump of capital fresh butter.
    With my son's assistance the cart was in time completed; a clumsy vehicle it was, but strong enough for any purpose to which we might put it, and, as it proved, of immense use to us in collecting the harvest.
    We then turned our attention to our fruit trees, which we had planted in a plot ready for transplanting. The walnut, cherry, and chestnut trees we arranged in parallel rows so as to form a shady avenue from Falconhurst to Family-bridge; and between them we laid down a tolerable road, that we might have no difficulty in reaching Tentholm , be the weather bad as it might.
    We planted the vines round the arched roots of our great mangrove, and the rest of the trees in suitable spots; some near Falconhurst , and others away over Jackal river , to adorn Tentholm . Tentholm had been the subject of serious thoughts to me for some time past, and I now turned all my attention thither. It was not my ambition to make it beautiful, but to form of it a safe place of refuge in a case of emergency.
    My first care, therefore, was to plant a thick prickly hedge, capable of protecting us from any wild animal, and forming a tolerable obstacle to the attack of even savages, should they appear. Not satisfied with this, however, we fortified the bridge, and on a couple of hillocks mounted two guns which we brought from the wreck, and with whose angry mouths we might bark defiance at any enemy, man or beast.
    Six weeks slipped away while we were thus busily occupied, six weeks of hard yet pleasant labour . We greeted each Sunday and its accompanying rest most gratefully, and on that day always especially thanked God for our continued health and safety.
    I soon saw that this hard work was developing in the boys remarkable strength, and this I encouraged by making them practise running, leaping, climbing, and swimming; I also saw, however, that it was having a less satisfactory effect upon their clothes, which, though a short time before remarkably neat, were now, in spite of mending and patching, most untidy and disreputable.
    I determined, therefore, to pay another visit to the wreck, to replenish our wardrobe and to see how much longer the vessel was likely to hold together. Three of the boys and I went off in the pinnace . The old ship seemed in much the same condition as when we had left her, a few more planks had gone, but that was all.
    `Come, boys,' cried I, `not an article of the slightest value must be left on board; rummage her out to the very bottom of her hold.'
    They took me at my word: sailors' chests, bales of cloth and linen, a couple of small guns, ball and shot, tables, benches, window shutters, bolts and locks, barrels of pitch, all were soon in a heap on the deck. We loaded the pinnace and went on shore.
    We soon returned with our tub-boat in tow, and after a few more trips nothing was left on board.
    `One more trip,' said I to my wife, before we started again, `and there will be the end of the brave ship which carried us from Switzerland . I have left two barrels of gunpowder on board, and mean to blow her up.'
    Before we lighted the fuse, I discovered a large copper cauldron which I thought I might save. I made