OUR fields near Tent House had by this time brought forth good crops of
wheat, maize, beans, and peas; but as the work of the Cave had for some
weeks kept us on this side of the stream, we did not know in what state
we should find our crops at The Nest.

One day we all set out for our old home. We found our corn fields of a
rich brown hue, and saw that the wheat was, for the most part, fit to
reap. This, and a large patch of rye we cut down, and, as we did so,
whole flocks of birds took to wing when we got near them, while quails
were seen to run off at the sight of our dogs, who had no lack of sport
that day.

We laid by the seed that was quite ripe till the time should come for
us to sow it, and put the rest in sacks. Some of the wheat was laid up
in sheaves till we should have time to beat out the grain.

When we left The Nest for the Cave, we could not find the hand mill
that we had brought from the ship. This now came to light, and we took
care to pack it up to take with us, as we should want it to grind our
corn.

That night we slept once more in the great tree; but I must say that we
did not now sleep so sound there as we used to do, nor did we feel so
safe as we did in our rooms at Rock House.

The next day we were to start a plan by means of which our live stock
would not want so much of our care. They had bred so fast that we could
well spare some of them, and these I thought might be left in some
place to seek their own food, and yet be in reach should we want them.