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FRITZ AND HIS CAJACK 245 |
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they threw them down in disgust. I wished to know what kind of fruit it was, and, taking one up, I recognised it as being the fruit of the clove-tree, another addition to our stock of spices.
We now employed ourselves in building protections against any other storms that might arise. Among other things I had long contemplated the erection of a drawbridge, and now appeared the proper time for constructing it. To be sure, a drawbridge was not a little thing to undertake, but after all that we had already done, we could not stop at the idea of constructing a bridge.
I understood the turning-bridges, but as I had neither vice nor windlass, I was obliged to adopt the simplest kind of drawbridge. I built between two high stakes a sweep that could be easily moved, and by the means of two ropes, a lever, and a counterpoise, we had a bridge which could be easily raised and lowered. It would only insure us against the invasion of animals, the river being too shallow to oppose any obstacle to a more serious attack. Such as it was, for a few days the new bridge was a great source of amusement to all the boys.
But, like all new inventions, the interest of the
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