"Capital, capital, my boy," said I, "but where did you get your materials, and who helped you?"
"Except in cutting the skin," said my wife, "he had no assistance, and as for the materials, Fritz's jackal supplied us with the skin, and the needles and thread came out of my wonderful bag. You little think how many useful things may be had from that same bag; it is woman's duty and nature, you know, to see after trifles."
Fritz evidently did not approve of the use to which his jackal's hide had been devoted, and holding his nose, begged his little brother to keep at a distance; "Really, Jack," he said, "you should have cured the hide before you used it; the smell is disgusting; don't come near me."
"It's not the hide that smells at all," retorted Jack, "it is your nasty jackal itself, that you left in the sun."
"Now, boys," said I, "no quarreling here; do you, Jack, help your brother to drag the carcass to the sea, and if your belt smells after that you must take it off and dry it better."
The jackal was dragged off, and we then finished our work of unloading our boat. When this was accomplished we started for our tent, and finding no preparation for supper, I said, "Fritz, let us have a Westphalian ham."
"Ernest," said my wife, smiling, "let us see if we cannot conjure up some eggs."
Fritz got out a splendid ham and carried it to his mother triumphantly, while Ernest set before me a dozen white balls with parchment-like coverings.
"Turtles' eggs!" said I. "Well done, Ernest! where did you get them?"
"That," replied my wife, "shall be told in due course when we relate our adventures; now we will see what they will do toward making a supper for you; with these and your ham I do not think we shall starve."