Swiss Family Robinson

trunks; right vigorously they struggled upwards, but to no purpose; before they had accomplished one quarter of the distance they found themselves slipping rapidly to the ground.
    `Here, you young athletes,' cried I, `I foresaw this difficulty, and have provided for it.' So saying I held up buskins of shark's skin which I had previously prepared, and which I now bound on to their legs. Thus equipped they again attempted the ascent, and with a loop of rope passed round their body and the trunk of the tree, quickly reached the summit.
    My wife joined me, and together we watched the boys as they ascended tree after tree, throwing down the best fruit from each. They then returned, and jestingly begged Ernest to produce the result of his labour . The professor had been lying on the grass gazing at the palms; but, on this sarcastic remark, he sprang to his feet. `Willingly,' he exclaimed, and seizing a pair of buskins he quickly donned them.
    `Give me a cocoanut shell,' said he. I gave him one, and he put it in his pocket. He ran to a tree, and, with an agility which surprised us all, quickly reached the top.
    No sooner had he done so than Fritz and Jack burst into a roar of laughter. He had swarmed a tree which bore no nuts. Ernest apparently heard them; for, as it seemed in a fit of anger, he drew his knife and severed the leafy crest, which fell to the ground. I glanced up at him, surprised at such a display of temper. But a bright smile greeted me, and in a merry tone he shouted:
    `Jack, pick that palm-cabbage up and take it to father; that is only half my contribution, and it is worth all your nuts put together.'
    He spoke truly: the cabbage-palm is rare, and the tuft of leaves at its summit is greatly prized by the South Americans for its great delicacy and highly nutritive qualities.
    `Bravo!' I cried. `You have retrieved your character; come down and receive the thanks of the company, what are you waiting up there for?'
    `I am coming presently,' he replied, `with the second half of my contribution; I hope it will be as fully appreciated as the first.' In a short time he slipped down the tree, and, advancing to his mother, presented her with the nutshell he had taken up with him.
    `Here,' he said, `is a wine which the greatest connoisseur would prize. Taste it, mother.'
    The shell was filled with a clear rosy liquor, bright and sparkling.
    My wife tasted it. `Excellent, excellent,' she exclaimed. `Your very good health, my dear boy!'
    We drank the rosy wine in turn, and Ernest received hearty thanks from all.
    It was getting late, and while we were enjoying our supper before our tent, our donkey, who had been quietly browsing near us, suddenly set up a loud bray, and, without the least apparent cause, pricked up his ears, threw up his heels, and galloped off into the thicket of bamboos. We followed for a short distance, and I sent the dogs in chase, but they returned without our friend, and, as it was late, we were obliged to abandon the chase.
    I was annoyed by this incident, and even alarmed; for not only had we lost the ass, but I knew not what had occasioned his sudden flight. I knew not whether he was aware, by instinct, of the approach of some fierce wild beast. I said nothing of this to my family, but, making up an unusually large fire, I bade them sleep with their weapons by their sides, and we all lay down.
    A bright morning awoke us early, and I rose and looked out, thinking that perhaps our poor donkey might have been attracted by the light of the fires, and have returned. Alas, not a sign of him was to be seen. As we could not afford to lose so valuable a beast, I determined to leave no attempt untried to regain him.
    We hurriedly breakfasted, and, as I required the dogs to assist me in the search, I left my elder sons to protect their mother, and bade Jack get ready for a day's march. This arrangement delighted him, and we quickly set out.
    For an hour or more we trudged onwards, directed by the print of the ass's hoofs. Sometimes we lost the track for a while, and then again discovered it as we reached softer soil. Finally this guide failed us altogether, for the donkey seemed to have joined in with a herd of some larger animals, with whose hoof-prints his had mingled.
    I now almost turned back in despair, but Jack urged me to continue the search. `For,' said he, `if we once get upon a hill we shall see such a large herd as this must be at almost any distance. Do let us go on, father.'
    I consented,