Page:The Swiss Family Robinson (Kingston).djvu/125

Rh “No, no!” said I, “I did not make this for mere pleasure, nor is it even intended as a weapon, the arrows are pointless. Elizabeth,” I continued to my wife, “can you supply me with a ball of stout thread from your wonderful bag?”

“Certainly,” replied she, “I think that a ball of thread was the first thing to enter the bag,” and diving her hand deep in, she drew out the very thing I wanted.

“Now, boys,” I said, “I am going to fire the first shot,” and I fastened one end of the thread to one of my arrows and aimed at a large branch above me. The arrow flew upwards and bore the thread over the branch and fell at our feet. Thus was the first step in our undertaking accomplished. Now for the rope-ladder!

Fritz had obtained two coils of cord each about forty feet in length; these we stretched on the ground side by side; then Fritz cut the bamboos into pieces of two feet for the steps of the ladder, and as he handed them to me, I passed them through knots which I had prepared in the ropes, while Jack fixed each end with a nail driven through the wood. When the ladder was finished, I carried over the bough a rope by which it might be hauled up. This done, I fixed the lower end of the ladder firmly to the ground by means of stakes, and all was ready for an ascent. The boys who had been watching me with intense interest were each eager to be first.

“Jack shall have the honour,” said I, “as he is the lightest; so up with you, my boy, and do not break your neck.”

Jack, who was as active as a monkey, sprang up the ladder and quickly gained the top.

“Three cheers for the nest!” he exclaimed, waving his cap. “Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah for our jolly nest! What a grand house we will have up here; come along, Fritz!”

His brother was soon by his side, and with a hammer and nails secured the ladder yet more securely. I followed with an axe, and took a survey of the tree. It was admirably suited to