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WE MOVE TO THE FOREST 81 |
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on to the back of the donkey behind Francis, for I knew that porcupine's flesh was good to eat, and so I did not like to waste so much valuable meat. A rather ludicrous incident occurred, however, when the donkey felt the prick of the spines through the wrappings ; he flung up his heels, and would have dashed off had not Fritz caught him. We thereupon readjusted the bundle so that it should not hurt him, and reassured Francis, who was a little frightened at the unexpected friskiness of his steed. After this incident we at length formed our procession again, and marched on to the giant trees. These were indeed astonishing to me, who had not seen them before, and I gratified my wife by my loudly-expressed admiration of her cleverness in judging how delightful a residence they would make.
We first released our animals from their burdens and tied their fore-legs loosely together with a cord, that they might not go far away. We then let out the cocks and hens from their basket, and settled down to discuss how we could best pass the night.
Meantime Fritz, who was longing to distinguish himself as Jack had done, had slipped away, and we now heard a shot, and a few minutes later saw |
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