Page:The Swiss Family Robinson, In Words of One Syllable.djvu/64

50 said that we would now stay at home, at least for some days.

My first work was to make some wax lights, for my wife could then mend our clothes at night, while we sat down to talk. This done, the next task they gave me was to make a churn. What with my lack of skill, and want of tools, I thought it best not to aim to high, so I took a large gourd, made a small hole in the side, and cut out as much as I could, so as to leave but the rind. In this I put the cream, laid a piece on the hole, and bound it up so that none could come out. The boys then held a cloth, and on it I put the gourd, which they made to roll from side to side. They kept up this game with great mirth for near an hour, when my wife took off the string, and found that the churn had done its work well.

"Well shall not have to eat dry bread now," said Frank; and I was as glad as he that such was the case.

As our sledge was not fit to use on rough roads, my next work was to make a cart. I had brought a pair of wheels from the wreck, so that my task did not prove a hard one. It is true I did not make what you might call a neat job of it, but for all that we found it of great use.

While I was thus at work, my wife and the boys took some of the fruit trees we had brought