| CHAPTER I. | |
| PAGE | |
| “Bill” | [17] |
The Old Trunk. Christmas Vacation. “Bill’s” Skate Sail. Willow Clump Island. Organizing the Society. | |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| Skate Sails | [26] |
The Double Swedish Sail. The Single Swedish Sail. The Lanteen Sail. The Danish Sail. Bat’s Wings. | |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| Snow Shoes, Skis and Swamp Shoes | [35] |
Chair Seat Snow Shoe. Barrel Stave Snow Shoe. Barrel Hoop Snow Shoe. The Sioux Snow Shoe. The Iroquois Snow Shoe. The Ainu Snow Shoe. The Norwegian Ski. The Swamp Shoe or Swiss Snow Shoe. | |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| Tent Making | [44] |
Farewell Meeting. Word from Uncle Ed. The Canvas Tent. Adjustable Ridge Pole. Tie Blocks. The Annex. | |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| Preparing for the Expedition | [53] |
Tent Fly. Provisions and Supplies. Umbrella Rib Crossbow. Megaphone. The Scow. | |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| Off to the Island | [63] |
A Unique Alarm Clock. The Trip to the Island. Preliminary Exploration. A Rustic Table. The Small Filter. The Barrel Filter. The Klepalo. | |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| Surveying | [73] |
The Surveying Instrument. Spirit Levels. The Tripod. Surveyor’s Chain. Surveyor’s Rod. A Simple Method of Surveying. Mapping the Island. | |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| Swimming | [84] |
Swimming on a Plank. Shooting the Rapids. Restoring the Drowned. How to Work over a Patient Alone. | |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| Bridge Building | [95] |
The Spar Bridge. The Rope Railway. The Suspension Bridge. The Pontoon Bridge. The King Rod Truss. Stiffening the Bridge. The King Post Bridge. | |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| Canvas Canoes | [109] |
Uncle Ed’s Departure. A Visit from Mr. Schreiner. The Sailing Canoe. Stretching on the Canvas. The Rudder. The Deep Keel. Canoe Sails. Lee Boards. Indian Paddling Canoe. | |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| House Building | [124] |
The Grass Hut. The Goblins’ Dancing Platform. Dutchy Takes a Dare. A Path Up the Fissure. Rope Ladders. The Derrick. The Tree House. Sliding Doors. | |
| CHAPTER XII. | |
| Trouble with the Tramps | [138] |
The Scow is Stolen. A Council of War. Vengeance. A Double Surprise. Tramp-proof Boat Mooring. | |
| CHAPTER XIII. | |
| Wigwagging and Heliographing | [144] |
Wigwag Signals. The Wigwag Alphabet. Abbreviations. Wigwagging at Night. The Heliograph. The Single Mirror Instrument. The Sight Rod. The Screen. Focusing the Instrument. Heliograph Signaling. The International Telegraph Code. The Double Mirror Instrument. | |
| CHAPTER XIV. | |
| Ice Boats, Sledges and Toboggans | [158] |
Breaking Camp. The Ice Boat. The Sledge. The Toboggan. The Rennwolf. Ice Creepers. | |
| CHAPTER XV. | |
| The Subterranean Club | [171] |
A Cave-in. Excavating for the Cave. Covering the Cave. The Big Bug Club. Midnight Banquets. The Club Pin. The Combination Lock. | |
| CHAPTER XVI. | |
| Scooters | [183] |
A Sail in the Scow. Our Craft Strikes the Ice. The Scooter Scow. A Sprit Sail. Scooter Sailing. A Meeting of the Society. An Interview with Mr. Van Syckel. The Scooter Canoe. | |
| CHAPTER XVII. | |
| An Arctic Expedition | [193] |
Willow Clump Island in Winter. Kindling a Camp Fire. The Outdoor Fireplace. A Stone-paved Fireplace. A Cold Night in the Hut. Mountain Climbing. A Poor Shelter. A Costly Camp Fire. A Friend in Time of Trouble. | |
| CHAPTER XVIII. | |
| Tramping Outfits | [203] |
Sleeping Bags. Bill’s “Mummy Case.” The “A” Tent. A Camp Chair. A Camp Bed. The Camp Bed in a Shower. A Nightmare. Pack Harness. Riveting. | |
| CHAPTER XIX. | |
| The Land Yacht | [215] |
The Frame of the Yacht. A Simple Turnbuckle. Stepping the Mast. Mounting the Frame on Bicycle Wheels. The Tiller. A “Leg-of-Mutton” Sail. A Sail Through the Country. | |
| CHAPTER XX. | |
| Easter Vacation | [224] |
Bill’s Cave. The Barrel Stave Hammock. The Barrel Armchair. The Summer Toboggan. Tailless Kites. A Five-foot Malay Kite. An Eight-foot Malay Kite. The Elastic Belly Band. Putting the Kites to Work. The Diamond Box Kite. | |
| CHAPTER XXI. | |
| The Water Wheel | [240] |
The Water Wheel. Surveying for the Water Wheel. Towers for the Water Wheel. The Wheel. The Buckets. The Paddles. The Receiving Trough. Setting Up the Towers. Mounting the Water Wheel. Cooling the Filter Barrel. The Canvas Bucket. Mr. Halliday’s Water Wheel. | |
| CHAPTER XXII. | |
| The Log Cabin | [254] |
Foundation of Log Cabin. A Logging Expedition. The Log Raft. The Sail-Rigged Raft. Building the Log Cabin. The Roof of the Log Cabin. Door and Window Frames. The Fireplace. The Proper Way to Build a Stone Wall. The Floor of the Cabin. The Door Hinges and Latch. The Window Sash. Bunks. Stopping up the Chinks. | |
| CHAPTER XXIII. | |
| The Windmill | [273] |
Digging the Well. The Windmill Tower. The Crank Shaft. The Wind Wheel. A Simple Brake. The Pump. Pump Valves. Action of the Pump. | |
| CHAPTER XXIV. | |
| The Gravity Railroad | [283] |
The Car. The Flanged Wheels. Car Axles. Mounting the Wheels. The Railway Track. The Carpenter’s Miter Box. Laying the Track. The First Railway Accident. Testing the Track. | |
| CHAPTER XXV. | |
| The Cantilever Bridge | [292] |
Frames for the Cantilever Bridge. Erecting the Towers. Setting up the Frames. Binding and Anchoring the Structure. The Center Panels of the Bridge. A Serious Interruption. Dispossessed. Farewell to Willow Clump Island. Reddy’s Cantilever Bridge. | |
Map of Willow Clump Island and Vicinity.
THE SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN BOY.
CHAPTER I.
“BILL.”
“Bill,” he was it, the Scientific American Boy, I mean. Of course, we were all American boys and pretty scientific chaps too, if I do say it myself, but Bill, well he was the whole show. What he didn’t know wasn’t worth knowing, so we all thought, and even to this day I sometimes wonder how he managed to contrive and execute so many remarkable plans. At the same time he was not a conceited sort of a chap and didn’t seem to realize that he was head and shoulders above the rest of us in ingenuity. But, of course, we didn’t all have an uncle like Bill did. Bill’s Uncle Ed was one of those rare men who take a great interest in boys and their affairs, a man who took time to answer every question put to him, explaining everything completely and yet so clearly that you caught on at once. Uncle Ed (we all called him that) was a civil engineer of very high standing in his profession, which had taken him pretty much all over the world, and his naturally inquisitive nature, coupled with a wonderful memory, had made him a veritable walking encyclopedia. With such an uncle it is no wonder that Bill knew everything. Of course, there were some things that puzzled even Bill. But all such difficulties, after a reasonable amount of brain-work had failed to clear them, were submitted to Uncle Ed. Uncle Ed was always prompt (that was one thing we liked about him), and no matter where he was or what he was doing he would drop everything to answer a letter from the society.