The months passed quickly.
Lightfoot, our wild donkey, produced a foal that we named Swift.
We built a porch across the front of Rockburg.
Aside from those events, all was quiet until Jack had a misadventure one afternoon.
He often went off by himself and came back with new things to show us.
But this time he reappeared covered with mud and almost in tears.
"What happened?" I said. "Where have you been?"
"I went to get reeds to make baskets, and I fell into the swamp.
I called and called for help. But nobody came and I kept sinking."
He had finally managed to cut some reeds and fasten them into a bundle.
Meanwhile Fangs, his jackal, had run back and forth at the edge of the swamp.
"I used the reeds like a raft to keep from sinking," said Jack.
"When I finally freed my legs from the swamp, I caught hold of Fangs.
He pulled me to dry land!"
"Fangs is truly a hero," I said.
"But next time take one of your brothers along."
We wanted to make baskets because we needed something for gathering and storing fruits and root vegetables.
After some trial and effort, we produced a good supply of baskets.
One basket was especially large.
While weaving it, I left holes so that a strong stick could be passed through the holes.
In that way two people could carry the basket when it was full and heavy.
"Do you see how this will work?" I asked the boys.
"Oh, yes!" Jack's eyes lit up with fun.
He and Ernest ran a sturdy piece of bamboo through the holes.
Then Fritz popped little Franz into the basket.
The boys took turns carrying Franz around while he whooped with delight.
"Oh, Father!" cried Fritz.
"Don't you think we could make something like this for Mother?
It would be more comfortable for her than jolting along in our cart."
The boys shouted with glee at the proposal.
"What do you think, Mother?" asked Ernest.
"Well, I think you could make it, but . . ." She hesitated.
"I'm not sure I'd like sitting in the middle of a big basket, peering over the rim."
"We wouldn't make you sit on the bottom of a basket." I laughed.
"We'd make you a comfortable seat."
"It would be a bit like a sedan chair," explained Ernest.
"I've seen pictures of those in books."
"Yes," I replied, "but who would carry this chair?"
I worried that the boys would grow tired or stumble, and then the chair would fall.
"The bull and the buffalo!" cried Jack.
"Why not use them? Let's try them now!"
Off ran the boys, and in a short time the basket was securely hung between the two animals.
Fritz and Jack sprang into their saddles, and Ernest very carefully deposited himself in the basket.
They set forth at a slow, steady pace.
The animals, who were quite docile, appeared only a little surprised at their new task.
"Oh, it's so pleasant, Mother!" called out Ernest as they passed us.
"The basket rocks as gently as a cradle. Faster, Fritz, faster!"
Fritz and Jack urged their animals to trot, and Ernest liked that ride too.
But then the pace quickened, making the basket shake violently.
"Stop, Fritz!" yelled Ernest. "Halt, Jack! Stop now! Can anybody hear me?"
But Fritz and Jack thought it was great fun to shake up their brother.
"What's the matter, professor?" called Jack.
"Didn't sedan chairs go this fast in those books you read?"
The boys made a circuit of the level ground in front of Rockburg.
They finally pulled up in front of us like performers awaiting applause.
It was hard not to laugh, but Ernest was very angry with them.
"You could have killed me!" he cried angrily.
"Don't be ridiculous," said Fritz. "You're acting like—"
"Quiet, everyone," I said for I could see an argument building up.
"Taking a joke too far can only lead to bad feelings.
If we're going to survive, we need to keep peace among ourselves."
Fritz and Jack apologized, and Ernest helped them to unharness the bull and buffalo.
Then Fritz joined my wife and me on the front porch while the other boys played below.
We were chatting pleasantly when Fritz suddenly stood up and stared off into the distance.
"Something strange is coming toward the bridge," he said.
"First it was coiled up on the ground like a hose.
Now it's rising up and sinking back again."
"Take the other boys inside at once," I told my wife. "Close the door."
Fritz stayed by my side while I examined the object through my telescope.
"It's just as I feared," I said, laying down the telescope.
"A giant snake is advancing toward us!"