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78 THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON |
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fixing the enchanted bag in such a way as to support him.
In the meanwhile the other boys had been running after the cocks and hens and pigeons, but had not succeeded in catching one of them. Their mother laughed at them, and, stepping into the tent, brought out two handfuls of corn, which she scattered. The fowls came at once to pick them up. She then walked slowly before them, dropping the grain all the way, till they had followed her into the tent. When she saw them all inside, busily employed in picking up the grain, she shut the entrance, and caught one after the other without difficulty. The fowls were tied by the feet and wings, put into a basket covered with a net. and placed in triumph on the top of our luggage.
We had packed and put in the tent everything we meant to leave, and for greater security fastened down the ends of the sail-cloth at the entrance by driving stakes through them into the ground. Then at last we set out, each of us, great and small, carrying a gun upon his shoulder and a game-bag at his back. My wife led the way with her eldest son, the cow and the ass followed immediately behind them; the goat, conducted by Jack, came next, with the little monkey seated on his back, |
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