t frosts had already been felt, and there was every promise of
rigorous weather. Godfrey was to be congratulated on having established
his fireplace in the tree. It need scarcely be said that the work at the
palisade had been completed, and that a sufficiently solid door now
assured the closure of the fence.

During the six weeks which followed, that is to say, until the middle of
December, there had been a good many wretched days on which it was
impossible to venture forth. At the outset there came terrible squalls.
They shook the group of sequoias to their very roots. They strewed the
ground with broken branches, and so furnished an ample reserve for the
fire.

Then it was that the inhabitants of Will Tree clothed themselves as
warmly as they could. The woollen stuffs found in the box were used
during the few excursions necessary for revictualling, until the weather
became so bad that even these were forbidden. All hunting was at an end,
and the snow fell in such quantity that Godfrey could have believed
himself in the inhospitable latitudes of the Arctic Ocean.

It is well known that Northern America, swept by the Polar winds, with
no obstacle to check them, is one of the coldest countries on the globe.
The winter there lasts until the month of April. Exceptional precautions
have to be taken against it. It was the coming of the winter as it did
which gave rise to the thought that Phina Island was situated in a
higher latitude than Godfrey had supposed.

Hence the necessity of making the interior of Will Tree as comfortable
as possible. But the suffering from rain and cold was cruel. The
reserves of provisions were unfortunately insufficient, the preserved
turtle flesh gradually disappeared. Frequently there had to be
sacrificed some of the sheep or goats or agouties, whose numbers had but
slightly increased since their arrival in the island.

With these new trials, what sad thoughts haunted Godfrey!

It happened also that for a fortnight he fell into a violent fever.
Without the tiny medicine-chest which afforded the necessary drugs for
his treatment, he might never have recovered. Tartlet was ill-suited to
attend to the petty cares that were necessary during the continuance of
the malady. It was to Carefinotu that he mainly owed his return to
health.

But what remembrances and what regrets! Who but himself could he blame
for having got into a situation of which he could not even see the end?
How many times i