One of these foxlets, regretting his captivity, said to him, in his own fashion,—
“What are you going to do with us? We should make a very poor present for a small museum.
“Let us grow up into foxes; you can catch us later on, some fine day, and a good museum will pay you a good price for us.
“Whereas, in order to make a gift worth giving, you would have to get about a hundred of our size, which gift, after all, would be little worth.”
Little worth? “Well then,” replied the hunter, “that may be.
“My good friend, Renard, you who preach so well, you must go into the cage; and you may say what you like, it will be made at once.
“‘One bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,’—one is sure and the other is not.”
But the two foxlets, deaf to these remarks,—possibly they did not understand the doctor’s language,—worked so hard and so well, that one day the learned man, in search of curiosities, found an empty cage.
The amiable Dr. Ekelund has rarely had any occasion to act in his professional character, as apart from a few jammed fingers and other minor injuries the state of health is excellent. Hence he employs his leisure time in pulling nails out of cases, or else he prepares for stuffing the birds of various species which he has killed when out hunting. During the inflation of the balloon, he superintends the action of the gas apparatus, and takes turns in this duty with Professor Arrhénius and Stake.
These gentlemen are also taking their share in the meteorological service which is carried on regularly by the staff of the expedition.