Page:The Swiss Family Robinson (Kingston).djvu/72

42 clinging close to their brother, in alarm at the tumult of voices, shouted in ecstasy.

“A monkey! a monkey! oh how splendid! where did Fritz find him? What may we give him to eat? Oh what a bundle of sticks! Look at those curious great nuts father has got!”

We could neither check this confused torrent of questions, nor get in a word in answer to them.

At length when the excitement subsided a little, I was able to say a few words with a chance of being listened to. “I am truly thankful to see you all safe and well, and, thank God, our expedition has been very satisfactory, except that we have entirely failed to discover any trace of our shipmates.”

“If it be the will of God,” said my wife, “to leave us alone on this solitary place, let us be content; and rejoice that we are all together in safety.”

“Now we want to hear all your adventures, and let us relieve you of your burdens,” added she, taking my game-bag.

Jack shouldered my gun, Ernest took the cocoa-nuts, and little Franz carried the gourds, Fritz distributed the sugar-canes amongst his brothers, and handing Ernest his gun replaced the monkey on Turk's back. Ernest soon found the burden with which Fritz had laden him too heavy to his taste. His mother perceiving this, offered to relieve him of part of the load. He gave up willingly the cocoa-nuts, but no sooner had he done so than his elder brother exclaimed—

“Hullo, Ernest, you surely do not know what you are parting with; did you really intend to hand over those good cocoa-nuts without so much as tasting them?”

“What? ho! are they really cocoa-nuts?” cried Ernest. “Do let me take them again, mother; do let me look at them.” “No, thank you,” replied my wife with a smile. “I have no wish to see you again overburdened.” “Oh but I have only to throw away these sticks, which are of no use, and then I can easily carry them.”