Page:The Swiss Family Robinson (Kingston).djvu/249

Rh quarry in most sportsmanlike manner. We kept him well away from the poultry-yard lest his natural instincts should show themselves, and he should put an untimely end to some of our feathered pets.

Neither was Master Knip allowed to remain idle, for Ernest, now that he was in his possession, wished to train him to be of some use. With Jack's help he made a little basket of rushes, which he so arranged with straps that it might be easily fitted on to the monkey's back. Thus equipped he was taught to mount cocoa-nut palms and other lofty trees, and to bring down their fruit in the hamper. Jack was not so successful in his educational attempts, Fangs, as he had christened his jackal, used his fangs indeed, but only on his own account; nothing could persuade him that the animals he caught were not at once to be devoured, consequently poor Jack was never able to save from his jaws anything but the tattered skin of his prey. Not disheartened, however, he determined that Fangs could be trained, and that he would train him.

These, and such like employments, afforded us the rest and recreation we required while engaged in the laborious task of stair-case building.

Among my minor occupations, I applied myself to the improvement of our candles. Though the former batch had greatly delighted us at first, yet we were soon obliged to acknowledge that the light they gave was imperfect, and their appearance was unsightly; my wife, too, begged me to find some substitute for the threads of our cotton neck-ties, which I had previously used as wicks. To give the proper shape and smoothness to the candles, I determined to use the bamboo moulds I had prepared. My first idea was to pour the wax in at the end of the mould, and then when the candles were cooled to slip them out; but I was soon convinced that this plan would not succeed. I therefore determined to divide the moulds lengthways, and then, having greased