be tidy; and we have not one except that
which holds the books. I think we can manage it. We have, two oars
left besides the boat's yard; we will nail them along the side of the
cabin, about a foot or more from it, and then we will cut some of the
boat's sail, and nail the canvass from the side of the cabin to the
oars, and that will make a sort of shelf which will hold our things."

I brought in the oars; they were measured and cut off and nailed up.
The canvass was then stretched from the side of the cabin to the oar,
and nailed with the broad-headed nails, and made two capital shelves on
each side of the cabin, running from one end to the other.

"There," said my mother, "that is a good job. Now we will examine the
chest and put everything away and in its place."

My mother took out all the clothes, and folded them up. When she found
the roll of duck which was at the bottom, she said--

"I am glad to find this, as I can make a dress for myself much better
for this island than this black stuff dress which I now wear, and which
I will put by to wear, in case we should be taken off the island some of
these days; for I must dress like other people when I am again among
them. The clothes are sufficient to last you for a long while; but I
shall only alter two shirts and two pair of trousers to your present
size, as you will grow very fast. How old do you think you are now?"

I replied, "About sixteen years old, or perhaps more."

"I should think that was about your age."

Having examined and folded up every article of clothing in the chest,
the tools, spy-glass, etcetera, were put by me on the shelves, and then
we examined the box containing the thread, needles, fish-hooks, and
other articles, such as buttons, etcetera.

"These are valuable," said she; "I have some of my own to put along with
them. Go and fetch my basket; I have not yet had time to look into it
since I left the ship."

"What is there in it?"

"Except brushes and combs, I can hardly say. When I travelled about, I
always carried my basket, containing those things most requisite for
daily use, and in the basket I put everything that I wished to preserve,
till I had an opportunity to put it away. When I embarked on board of
the whaler, I brought my basket on my arm as usual; but except opening
it for my brushes and combs or scissors, I have not examined it for
months."

"What are brushes and combs and scissors?"

"That I will show you,"