56 BRUNO 



freight, therefore, was mostly books and pic- 

 tures, with a few boxes of clothes, bedding, etc. 

 The shanty was wonderfully improved by a coat 

 or two of whitewash, and after an old tapestry 

 carpet had been put down to cover the cracks 

 in the floor, extending up on the walls to form 

 a dado, it began to look quite livable. 



The bed and a row of trunks filled one end, 

 there being just room to squeeze in between 

 them. At the foot of the bed was a table, used 

 by turns as kitchen, dining, and library table ; 

 there was also a box holding a kerosene stove, 

 with shelves above it for dishes and supplies. 



We had two wooden chairs, and a bench 

 which we put to various uses. When these 

 things were all in place, and our books arranged 

 on boards which were laid across the rafters 

 overhead, we felt as snug as was Robinson 

 Crusoe in his cave. 



As soon as we were comfortable, Julius got a 

 man to help him, and began to improve our 

 land. A few of the large pine-trees had to be 

 felled, and this performance filled Bruno with 

 the wildest excitement. His natural instincts 

 told him there was only one reason for which a 

 tree should ever be cut, to capture some wild 

 creature which had taken refuge in its top. At 



