The Swiss Family Robinson | Page 2

son,
that he would try to be of some use, and think what could be done.
"If we could but find some cork," said Fritz to me in a low tone, "we
might make floats. You and I will not need them, for we can swim, but
the rest will want some such means to keep them up."
"A good thought," said I. "Let us try to find what things there are in the
ship that we can thus make use of."
We soon found some casks and ropes, and with these we made a kind
of float for each of the three boys, and then my wife made one for her
own use. This done, we got some knives, string, and such things as we
could make fast to our belts. We did not fail to look for and find a flint
and steel, and the box in which the burnt rags were kept, for these were

at that time in use as the means to strike a light.
Fritz, who was now well-nigh worn out, lay down on his bed and slept
like the rest. As for me and my poor wife, we kept watch, each in fear
lest the next wave should lift the ship off the rock and break it up.
I need not tell you how glad we were when we saw the first gleam of
light. At dawn the wind did not blow so strong, the sky was clear of
clouds, and we saw the sun rise, and with it rose our hopes. I soon had
my wife and sons on deck.
"Where are the men?" said they. "How can we steer the ship?"
"My dear boys," said I, "He who has kept us safe till now will still aid
us. Let all hands set to work, and leave the rest to God."
At these words we all went to work with a will. My wife went to feed
the live stock; Fritz set off in search of arms, and the means to make
use of them; and Ernest made his way to the tool chest. Jack ran to pick
up what he could find, but as he got to one of the doors he gave it a
push, and two huge dogs sprang out and leaped at him. He thought at
first that they would bite him, but he soon found that they meant him
no harm, and one of them let him get on his back and ride up to me as I
came from the hold of the ship.
When the boys had done their search, and the spoil was brought on
deck, we thought we had found all that we should need. "As for me,"
said my wife, "I have brought good news, for I find we have still on
board a cow, an ass, two goats, six sheep, a ram, a pig, and a sow, and I
have found food for them all."
"All that you bring will be of use," said I; "but I fear that Jack's dogs
will do us more harm than good."
"Not at all," said Jack, "for they can help us to hunt when we get to
land."
"Well said, Jack. And now let us see what we can do that will aid us to

get there."
We then took the casks that we had found, and Ernest and I soon cut
them in half. With these tubs we made a kind of raft, though it was no
slight task. The tubs, in fact, were a fleet of eight small round boats,
made so fast to some planks that no one of them could float from the
rest. The next thing to be done was to launch the raft. This we at length
did, and when the boys saw it slide down the side of the ship and float
on the sea, they gave a loud shout, and each one tried who should be
the first to get on it. I made it fast to the ship, and there left it.
I then told my wife to change her dress for that of one of the crew
which she had found, as her skirts would have got in her way when she
had to climb. She did not at first like this, but did so as soon as she saw
the truth of what I told her.
At last, when all was done, we went to bed, and slept as sound as if we
had been on land.

CHAPTER II.
WE were all up at the break of day, and knelt down to thank God that
He had kept us from harm through the night.
We then put all the things on the raft, and ten live hens and two cocks
were put in one