Dinner followed shortly after this happy service, and I then announced for the afternoon a “Grand Display of Athletic Sports,” in which I and my wife were to be spectators and judges.
“Father, what a grand idea!”
“Oh, how jolly! Are we to run races?”
“And prizes! Will there be prizes, father?”
“The judges offer prizes for competition in every sort of manly exercise,” replied I. “Shooting, running, riding, leaping, climbing, swimming; we will have an exhibition of your skill in all. Now for it!
“Trumpeters! Sound for the opening of the lists.”
Uttering these last words in a stentorian voice and wildly waving my arms toward a shady spot, where the ducks and geese were quietly resting, had the absurd effect I intended.
Up they all started in a fright, gabbling and quacking loudly, to the infinite amusement of the children, who began to bustle about in eager preparations for the contest, and begging to know with what they were to begin.
“Let us have shooting first, and the rest when the heat of the day declines. Here is a mark I have got ready for you,” said I, producing a board roughly shaped like a kangaroo and of about the size of one. This target was admired, but Jack could not rest satisfied tin he had added ears, and a long leather strap for a tail.
It was then fixed in the attitude most characteristic of the creature, and the distance for firing measured off. Each of the three competitors was to fire twice.
Fritz hit the kangaroo’s head each time; Ernest hit the body once; and Jack, by a lucky chance, shot the ears clean away from the head, which feat raised a shout of laughter.
A second trial with pistols ensued, in which Fritz again came off victor.
Then desiring the competitors to load with small shot, I threw a little board as high as I possibly could up in the air, each in turn aiming at and endeavoring to hit it before it touched the ground.
In this I found to my surprise that the sedate Ernest succeeded quite as well as his more impetuous brother Fritz.
As for Jack, his flying board escaped wholly uninjured.
After this followed archery, which I liked to encourage, foreseeing that a time might come when ammunition would fail. And in this practice I saw with pleasure that my elder sons were really skillful, while even little Franz acquitted himself well.
A pause ensued, and then I started a running match.
Fritz, Ernest, and Jack were to run to Falconhurst, by the most direct path. The first to reach the tree was to bring me, in proof of his success, a penknife I had accidentally left on the table in my sleeping room.
At a given signal, away went the racers in fine style. Fritz and Jack, putting forth all their powers, took the lead at once, running in advance of Ernest, who started at a good, steady pace, which I predicted he would be better able to maintain than such a furious rate as his brothers’.
But long before we expected to see them back, a tremendous noise of galloping caused us to look with surprise toward the bridge, and Jack made his appearance, thundering along on his buffalo, with the onager and the donkey tearing after him riderless, and the whole party in the wildest spirits.
“Hullo!” cried I. “What sort of foot race do you call this, Master Jack?”
He shouted merrily as he dashed up to us; then flinging himself off and saluting us in a playful way.
“I very soon saw,” said he, “that I hadn’t a chance; so renouncing all idea of the prize, I caught Storm, and made him gallop home with me, to be in time to see the others come puffing in. Lightfoot and old Grizzle chose to join me—I never invited them!”
By and by the other boys arrived, Ernest holding up the knife in token of being the winner; and after hearing all particulars about the running, and that he had reached Falconhurst two minutes before Fritz, we proceeded to test the climbing powers of the youthful athletes.
In this exercise Jack performed wonders. He ascended with remarkable agility the highest palms whose stems he could clasp. And when he put on his sharkskin buskins, which enabled him to take firm hold of larger trees, he played antics like a squirrel or a monkey, peeping and grinning at us, first on one side of the stem, and then on the other, in a most diverting way.
Fritz and Ernest climbed well, but could not come near the grace and skill of their active and lively young brother.
Riding followed, and marvelous feats were performed, Fritz and Jack proving themselves very equal in their management of their different steeds.
I thought the riding was over, when little Franz appeared from the stable in the cave, leading young Grumble, the bull calf, with a neat saddle of kangaroo hide, and a bridle passed through his nose ring.
The child saluted us with a pretty little air of confidence, exclaiming:
“Now, most learned judges, prepare to see something quite new and wonderful! The great bull tamer, Milo of Cortona, desires the honor of exhibiting before you.”
Then taking a whip, and holding the end of a long cord, he made the animal, at the word of command, walk, trot, and gallop in a circle round him.
He afterward mounted, and showed off Grumble’s somewhat awkward paces.
The sports were concluded by swimming matches, and the competitors found a plunge in salt water very refreshing after their varied exertions.
Fritz showed himself a master in the art. At home in the element, no movement betokened either exertion or weariness.
Ernest exhibited too much anxiety and effort, while Jack was far too violent and hasty, and soon became exhausted.
Franz gave token of future skill.
By this time, as it was getting late, we returned to our dwelling, the mother having preceded us in order to make arrangements for the ceremony of prize giving.
We found her seated in great state, with the prizes set out by her side.
The boys marched in pretending to play various instruments in imitation of a band, and then all four, bowing respectfully, stood before her, like the victors in a tournament of old, awaiting the reward of valor from the Queen of Beauty, which she bestowed with a few words of praise and encouragement.
Fritz, to his immense delight, received, as the prize for shooting and swimming, a splendid double-barreled rifle, and a beautiful hunting knife.
To Ernest, as winner of the running match, was given a handsome gold watch.
For climbing and riding, Jack had a pair of silverplated spurs, and a riding whip, both of which gave him extraordinary pleasure.
Franz received a pair of stirrups, and a driving whip made of rhinoceros hide, which we thought would be of use to him in the character of bull trainer.
When the ceremony was supposed to be over, I advanced, and solemnly presented to my wife a lovely work-box, filled with every imaginable requirement for a lady’s worktable, which she accepted with surprise and delight.
The whole entertainment afforded the boys such intense pleasure, and their spirits rose to such a pitch, that nothing would serve them but another salvo of artillery, in order to close with befitting dignity and honor so great a day. They gave me no peace till they had leave to squander some gunpowder, and when at last their excited feelings seeming relieved, we were able to sit down to supper. Shortly afterward we joined in family worship and retired to rest.
Soon after the great festival of our grand Thanksgiving Day I recollected that it was now the time when, the figs at Falconhurst being ripe, immense flocks of ortolans and wild pigeons were attracted thither, and as we had found those preserved last year of the greatest use among our stores of winter provisions, I would not miss the opportunity of renewing our stock. Therefore, laying aside the building work, we removed with all speed to our home in the tree, where sure enough we found the first detachment of the birds already busy with the fruit.
In order to spare ammunition, I resolved to concoct a strong sort of birdlime, of which I had read in some account of the Palm Islanders, who make it of fresh caoutchouc mixed with oil, and of so good a quality that it has been known to catch even peacocks and turkeys.
Fritz and Jack were therefore dispatched to collect some fresh caoutchouc from the trees, and as this involved a good gallop on Storm and Lightfoot, they, nothing loath, set off.
They took a supply of calabashes, in which to bring the gum, and we found it high time to manufacture a fresh stock of these useful vessels. I was beginning to propose an expedition to the Calabash Wood, regretting the time it would take to go such a distance, when my wife reminded me of her plantation near the potato field.
There to our joy we found that all the plants were flourishing, and crops of gourds and pumpkins, in all stages of ripeness, covered the ground.
Selecting a great number suited to our purpose, we hastened home, and began the manufacture of basins, dishes, plates, flasks, and spoons of all sorts and sizes, with even greater success than before.
When the riders returned with the caoutchouc, they recounted their adventures while away.
“When we arrived at Woodlands,” said Fritz, “we found the place in confusion. Everything smashed or torn, and covered with mud and dirt; the fowls terrified, the sheep and goats scattered, the contents of the rooms dashed about as if a whirlwind had swept through the house.”
“What!” I exclaimed, while my wife looked horrified at the news, conjuring up in her imagination hordes of savages who would soon come and lay waste Falconhurst and Tentholm as well as Woodlands. “How can that have happened? Did you discover the authors of all this mischief?”
“Oh,” said Jack, “it was easy to see that the monkeys had done it all. First they must have got into the yards and sheds, and hunted the fowls and creatures about. And then I daresay the cunning rascals put a little monkey in at some small opening, and bade him unfasten the shutters—you know what nimble fingers they have. Then of course the whole posse of them swarmed into our nice tidy cottage and skylarked with every single thing they could lay paws on.
“While we were gazing at all this ruin in a sort of bewilderment,” pursued Fritz, “we heard a sound of rushing wings and strange ringing cries, as of multitudes of birds passing high above us, and looking up we perceived them flying quickly in a wedge—shaped flock at a great height in the air.
“They began gradually to descend, taking the direction of the lake, and separated into a number of small detachments, which followed in a long, straight line, and at a slower rate, the movements of the leaders, who appeared to be examining the neighborhood. We could now see what large birds they must be, but dared not show ourselves or follow them, lest they should take alarm.
“Presently, and with one accord, they quickened their motion, just as if the band had begun to play a quick march after a slow one, and rapidly descended to earth in a variety of lively ways, and near enough for us to see that they must be cranes.
“Some alighted at once, while others hovered sportively over them. Many darted to the ground, and, just touching it, would soar again upward with a strong but somewhat heavy flight.
“After gamboling in this way for a time, the whole multitude, as though at the word of command, alighted on the rice fields, and began to feast on the fresh grain.
“We thought now was our time to get a shot at the cranes, and cautiously approached. But they were too cunning to let themselves be surprised, and we came unexpectedly upon their outposts, or sentinels, who instantly sprang into the air, uttering loud, trumpetlike cries, upon which the whole flock arose and followed them with a rush like a sudden squall of wind. We were quite startled, and it was useless to attempt a shot; but unwilling to miss the chance of securing at least one of the birds, I hastily unhooded my eagle, and threw him into the air.
“With a piercing cry he soared away high above them, then shot downward like an arrow, causing wild confusion among the cranes. The one which the eagle attacked sought to defend itself. A struggle followed, and they came together to the ground not far from where we stood.
“Hastening forward, to my grief I found the beautiful crane already dead. The eagle, luckily unhurt, was rewarded with a small pigeon from my game bag.
“After this we went back to Woodlands, got some turpentine and a bag of rice—and set off for home.”
Fritz’s interesting story being ended, we prepared for our supper.
