hair and wool made moist with gum. This was well beat, and, when dry,
made a kind of felt mat that was warm and soft to tread on, and would
keep the damp from our feet.

By the time these works were done, our cave was in a fit state for us
to dwell in. We did not now dread the rain, for we were safe out of its
reach, and there was no need that we should go out in it. We had a warm
light shop to work in by day, a snug place where we could take our
meals and dry bed rooms in which we could sleep in peace. Our live
stock we kept in a shed at the back of the cave, and our store room
held all that we could want.

When the rain at length set in, we all had some task that kept us close
at work in the cave. My wife took her wheel or her loom, both of which
I had made for her, for this kind of work fell to her share from
choice. By the help of the wheels of one of the ship's guns I had made
a lathe, and with this I could turn legs for stools and chairs. Ernest,
too, was fond of the lathe, and soon learned to do such work quite as
well as I.

At dusk, when we had done our work for the day, we brought out our
stock of books, and sat down to read by the light of a lamp.

At times, Jack and Prank would play a tune on their flutes, which I had
made out of reeds; and my wife, who had a sweet voice, would sing some
of the old Swiss songs, that brought to our minds the joys of home.

Though we were by no means dull, nor in want of work to fill up our
time, we were glad when the time came for the rain to cease, and when
we could gaze once more on the green fields. We went out the first fine