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110 THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON
at him, and congratulating him on the success of his demonstration.
Ernest was anxious that we should there and then make a thorn hedge around our banyan tree, but I told him this would come all in good time.
We now left the beautiful strip of forest, rich in many plants which are only to be found in Europe in greenhouses and conservatories, and made our way through the tall grass to Jackal River, which we crossed by Family Bridge.
Soon after we arrived at Tent House, where we found everything as we had left it. Fritz loaded himself with powder and shot; I and my wife and Francis employed ourselves in filling the pot with butter; Ernest and Jack looked about for the geese and ducks, but could not succeed in catching one of them. Ernest then took a small bit of cheese, and, tying it to the end of a piece of string, he held it floating in the water. When the birds swallowed it, he drew them gently towards him one by one till he had caught them all, while we watched, amused at his ingenuity.
We had meant to take back some salt, but as the sacks were filled with potatoes, we could only throw a little into one of them.
We then set out loaded on our return. The ducks |
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