r of its protector, and would not come down. Turk ran off to meet
his companion, and our dear family soon appeared on the opposite shore,
shouting with joy at our happy return. We crossed at the same place as
we had done in the morning, and embraced each other. Then began such a
noise of exclamations. "A monkey! a real, live monkey! Ah! how
delightful! How glad we are! How did you catch him?"
"He is very ugly," said little Francis, who was almost afraid of him.
"He is prettier than you are," said Jack; "see how he laughs! how I
should like to see him eat!"
"If we only had some cocoa-nuts," said Ernest. "Have you found any, and
are they good?"
"Have you had any unpleasant adventures?" asked my wife.
It was in vain to attempt replying to so many questions and
exclamations.
At length, when we got a little peace, I told them that, though I had
brought them all sorts of good things, I had, unfortunately, not met
with any of our companions.
"God's will be done!" said my wife; "let us thank Him for saving us, and
again bringing us together now. This day has seemed an age. But put down
your loads, and let us hear your adventures; we have not been idle, but
we are less fatigued than you. Boys, assist your father and brother."
Jack took my gun, Ernest the cocoa-nuts, Francis the gourd-rinds, and my
wife the game-bag. Fritz distributed his sugar-canes, and placed the
monkey on Turk's back, to the amusement of the children. He begged
Ernest to carry his gun, but he complained of being overloaded with the
great bowls. His indulgent mother took them from him, and we proceeded
to the tent.
Fritz thought Ernest would not have relinquished the bowls, if he had
known what they contained, and called out to tell him they were
cocoa-nuts.
"Give them to me," cried Ernest. "I will carry them, mamma, and the gun
too."
His mother declined giving them.
"I can throw away these sticks," said he, "and carry the gun in my
hand."
"I would advise you not," observed Fritz, "for the sticks are
sugar-canes."
"Sugar-canes!" cried they all, surrounding Fritz, who had to give them
the history, and teach them the art of sucking the canes.
My wife, who had a proper respect for sugar in her housekeeping, was
much pleased with this discovery, and the history of all our
acquisitions, which I displayed to her. Nothing gave her so much
pleasure as our plates and dishes, which were actual necessaries. We
went to our kitchen, and
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