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56 that same bag; it is woman's duty and nature, you know, to see after trifles.”

Fritz evidently did not approve of the use to which his jackal's hide had been devoted, and holding his nose, begged his little brother to keep at a distance; “really, Jack,” he said, “you should have cured the hide before you used it, the smell is disgusting, don't come near me.”

“It's not the hide that smells at all,” retorted Jack; “it is your nasty jackal itself that you left in the sun.”

“Now, boys," said I, “no quarrelling here; do you, Jack, help your brother to drag the carcase to the sea, and if your belt smells after that you must take it off and dry it better.”

The jackal was dragged off, and we then finished our work of unloading our boat. When this was accomplished we started for our tent, and finding there no preparation for supper, I said, “Fritz, let us have a Westphalian ham.”

“Ernest,” said my wife, smiling, “let us see if we cannot conjure up some eggs.”

Fritz got out a splendid ham and carried it to his mother triumphantly, while Ernest set before me a dozen white balls with parchment-like coverings.

“Turtles' eggs!” said I. “Well done, Ernest, where did you get them?”

“That,” replied my wife, “shall be told in due course when we relate our adventures; now we will see what they will do towards making a supper for you; with these and your ham I do not think we shall starve.”

Leaving my wife to prepare supper, we returned to the shore, and brought up what of the cargo we had left there; then, having collected our herd of animals, we returned to the tent.

The meal which awaited us was as unlike the first supper we had there enjoyed as possible. My wife had improvised a table of a board laid on two casks, on this was spread a white damask