served us for a spit, were
just ready on our arrival, and the fire and feast were equally grateful
to the hungry, exhausted, and wet travellers, who sat down to
enjoy them.

However, before we sat down to our repast, we went up to see our
invalids, whom we found tolerably well, though anxious for our return.
Ernest, with his sound hand, and the assistance of Francis, had
succeeded in forming a sort of _rampart_ before the opening into the
room, composed of the four hammocks in which he and his brothers slept,
placed side by side, on end. This sufficiently protected them from the
rain, but excluded the light, so that they had been obliged to light a
candle, and Ernest had been reading to his mother in a book of voyages
that had formed part of the captain's small library. It was a singular
coincidence, that while we were talking of the savages on the way home,
they were also reading of them; and I found my dear wife much agitated
by the fears these accounts had awakened in her mind. After soothing her
terrors, I returned to the fire to dry myself, and to enjoy my repast.
Besides the birds, Francis had prepared fresh eggs and potatoes for us.
He told me that his mamma had given up her office of cook to him, and
assured me that he would perform the duties to our satisfaction,
provided he was furnished with materials. Fritz was to hunt, Jack to
fish, I was to order dinner, and he would make it ready. "And when we
have neither game nor fish," said Jack, "we will attack your
poultry-yard." This was not at all to the taste of poor little Francis,
who could not bear his favourites to be killed, and who had actually
wept over the chicken that was _slaughtered_ to make broth for his
mother. We were obliged to promise him that, when other resources
failed, we would apply to our barrels of salt-fish. He, however, gave us
leave to dispose as we liked of the ducks and geese, which were too
noisy for him.

After we had concluded our repast, we carried a part of it to our
friends above, and proceeded to give them an account of our expedition.
I then secured the hammocks somewhat more firmly, to save us from the
storm that was still raging, and the hour of rest being at hand, my sons
established themselves on mattresses of cotton, made by their kind
mother, and in spite of the roaring of the winds, we were soon in
profound repose.

* * * * *

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

The storm continued to rage the w