late in the day. Jack and Fritz, whom we met
just as we came round the foot of the bill, had done their task well,
for they had a good stock of food in a sack that lay on the back of the
ass, and they brought the good news that all was well at home.

We spent four more days at the Farm, and then left it in such a state as
to be fit for our use when we chose to go back to it.

The Farm House was but a part of our plan, for we had made up our minds
to build a sort of half way house, or cot, in which we could rest on our
way to the Farm. This took us six days to do. The spot we chose lay by
the side of a brook, and was just such a place as would tempt, one to
stop and rest in the shade of the trees, that grew on the bank. While at
the brook, I made a boat out of the tree we found at the Farm, and took
it back with us to Tent House in the cart.

We had still two months ere the rain would set in, and this left us time
to put the last touch to our cave. We laid the whole floor with clay,
and spread on it some fine sand, which we beat down till it was quite
smooth and firm. On this we put sail cloth, and threw down goat's hair
and wool made moist with gum. This was well beat, and, when dry, made a
kind of felt mat that was warm and soft to tread on, and would keep the
damp from our feet.

By the time these works were done, our cave was in a fit state for us
to dwell in. We did not now dread the rain, for we were safe out of its
reach, and there was no need that we should go out in it. We had a warm
light shop to work in by day, a snug place where we could take our meals
and dry bed rooms in which we could sleep in peace. Our live stock we
kept in a shed at the back of the cave, and our store room held all that
we could want.

When the rain at length set in, we all had some task that kept us close
at work in the cave. My wife took her wheel or her loom, both of which
I had made for her, for this kind of work fell to her share from choice.
By the help of the wheels of one of the ship's guns I had made a lathe,
and with this I could turn legs for stools and chairs. Ernest, too, was
fond of the lathe, and soon learned to do such work quite as well as I.

At dusk, when we had done our work for the day, we brought out our stock
of books, and sat down to read by the light of a lamp.

At times, Jack and Prank would play a tune on their flutes, which I had
made out of reeds; and my wife, who had a sweet voice, would sing some
o