Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-07-30

| oeacn where ToW-DOaI was ahA0"0J
anchored.
as it inhabited?" asked Jessy.
| "Bless you, no, miss, only by the DUCKS
and snipe Lots of crabs on the out
skirts"
They landed and ran up the pebbly
| beach to the turfy headland. Their
father followed more slowly, talking to
Mrs. Pyatt eagerly. They could hardly
believe it was their father and not an
other boy like themselves.
| The island was out of sight of land.
Quite savage-looking place" Joe de-
clared
| After they had wandered about an
| hour they came to the landing to embark
for the village. But the sail-boat and
man had vanished!
He has gone and forgotten US" cried
Jessy.
He is treacherous villain" de-
nounced Harry. He has some deep
purpose in this, father. Take my word
for it."
Meanwhile" - said Mrs. Pyatt.
| Meanwhile we are shipwrecked on
| desert island" said her husband. THAT
| boat cannot be trusted on the sea-"
The boys were suddenly calm. Jessy's
| cheeks grew red.
Robinson Crusoe! Selkirk! Here was
an experience.
1.-The Swiss Family Robinson founda
cave" said Joe.
And built a house on a tree. But
| there's no time for that Father, where
are mamma and Jessy to sleep? We
men can rough it," said Harry, anX-
| iously.
=" Fortunately" said Mr. Pyatt, the
other boat is still here. Wewill examine
her and use whatever part of her cargo
we may need. 1 can repay the owner
| afterward
In the boat they found tent. Then
all hands went to dig trench about it
| and pitch it. 1t was a large tent, too,
with drop of canvas that divided it
| into two rooms.
The boys and Jessy crept in and out
of it dozen times in their delight and
wonder
Then their father showed them how to
| make beds of the warm, dry sand, with
| the salt moss on top, and shawls for
| coverlids.
But now for support Mamma" said
| Mr.. Pyatt, lean you make a fire if
Harry and go marketing?"
I'll try" Mammals cheeks were as
red as a rose, as Jessy said, with the fun.
Joe, with mother and Jessy, gathered
| sticks and leaves, and soon had a roar
| ing fire, on which he heaped log after log.
| Shipwrecked mariners always build
such fires" he said
Mr.. Pyatt had found in the boat two
small guns used for duck shooting. In a
! little while they came back with a duck
and half-a-dozen snipe.
"And in the boat" said Mrs. Pyatt,
eve found key of biscuit and another
of butter. We really are prepared to
stand a siege"
| Oh, what q royal supper that was,
! Everybody helped cook, and when the
birds were done and kissing hot they
! found Clam-shells for plates, and passed
round jack-knives to cut the meat with.
But papa was the king of the feast.
Seated on the ground, the bright star
| light overhead and the fire blazing and
| cracking.
The stories he told! The songs he sangl
And how soundly they all slept on the
deliciously yielding beds, the wind right
| OFT the sea blowing over their faces.
| The next morning no sign of sail,
though they strained their eyes and made
| signals as people in such circumstances
always do.
Now we are indeed shipwrecked,"
said papa. " Let us go and catch some
fish for breakfast"
The fish were caught and broiled better
than the snipe.
Then there was a bath to take and the
tent to set in order. eve may as well
| be comfortable if we are shipwrecked,"
said mamma.
So one day passed after another. They
| fished, and grabbed, and even hOed for
CLANS and shot all manner Of strange
birds
| l.. ,.11
| creeping thing on the island with which
they had not made acquaintance in q
weeks time Their father knew every
habit or trait Of them all. The boys
grew red and strong. Jessy burned to a
coffee color. Even papas pale cheeks
| were a reddish brown, and they had
| never seen mammals eyes so bright.
Oh, how sorry they all were when, one
morning, a sail hove in sight and their
| delinquent fisherman foated up to shore
and coolly landed.
Not tired of waitin, 'Squire?" he
said.
Papa, Harry noticed, had not a word
| of reproof. After they had gathered
their baggage amounting to two or three
bushels of shells and seaweed) and were
sailing back to civilization and the main
land that astute young gentleman whis-
| pered to his mother:
"Were we shipwrecked on purpose,
| mammal"
Hush, Harry" she whispered.
But Joe and Jessy were troubled with
no suspicious.
"This is better than Long Branch or
| Europe" Jessy said.
Why, l." said Joe, confdentially,
"was glad to find papa was such an
agreeable man"
Joer said his sister, reprovingly.
You were not acquainted with papa
| before"
They soon reached home, with many
happy thoughts of their shipaOrec1ed ex-
perience, which, as Harry had conjec-
| tured was not an accident but done " on
purpose. "-Y0uth'S Companion.