Page:The Swiss Family Robinson - 1851.djvu/52

 "I judged by the peculiar characteristics," said Ernest, examining it carefully.

"Oh! the characteristics!" said Fritz, ironically, "don't you think it may be a golden wolf?"

"Pray don't be so cross, brother," said Ernest, with tears in his eyes, "perhaps you would not have known the name, if papa had not told you."

I reproved Fritz for his ridicule of his brother, and Ernest for so easily taking offence; and, to reconcile all, I told them that the jackal partook of the nature of the wolf, the fox, and the dog. This discussion terminated, I summoned them to prayers, after which we thought of breakfast. We had nothing but biscuit, which was certainly dry and hard. Fritz begged for a little cheese with it; and Ernest, who was never satisfied like other people, took a survey of the unopened hogshead. He soon returned, crying "If we only had a little butter with our biscuit, it would be so good, papa!"

I allowed it would be good, but it was no use thinking of such a thing.

"Let us open the other cask," said he, displaying a piece of butter he had extracted through a small crack on the side.

"Your instinct for good things has been fortunate for us," said I. "Come, boys, who wants bread and butter?"

We began to consider how we should come at the contents of the hogshead, without exposing the perishable matter to the heat of the sun. Finally, I pierced a hole in the lower part of the cask, large enough for us to draw out the butter as we wanted it, by means of a little wooden shovel, which I soon made. We then sat down