The next morning everyone was awake early.
The children sprang about the tree house like monkeys while I sat beneath the great tree.
"What should we do next, Father?" Franz called down to me.
"What do you want us to do today?"
"Rest, my boys," I replied. "Rest."
"Rest?" Franz repeated. "Why should we rest?"
"It's Sunday. Come down here, please."
"Is it really Sunday?" asked Jack when he'd climbed down the ladder.
"How jolly! I won't do any work.
I'll take a bow and arrow and prowl through the woods.
And we'll climb about the tree and have fun all day."
"That's not resting, Jack," I pointed out.
"That's not the way you usually spend Sundays."
"I usually go to church, but we don't have a church here."
"And we don't have a clergyman or an organ," added little Franz.
"We can still offer thanks for our new home," I said.
"Come, everyone, gather around me."
After I led my family in some prayers and hymns, the boys were free to do as they liked.
I continued to sit under our tree.
A few birds came to feed on the figs, which were just beginning to ripen.
I realized that as more figs ripened, more birds would come.
If we could preserve some birds, we could eat them during the rainy season when food might be scarce.
Relieved that I'd thought of a way to provide food for my family, I enjoyed my morning in the shade.
During lunch I proposed that we name all the places we'd visited since we arrived.
"We'll feel more at home if these places have names," I said.
"Let's start by naming the bay where we landed."
"Oyster Bay," said Fritz.
"No, no," protested Jack.
"Lobster Bay, in memory of the fellow who grabbed my leg."
"I think we should call it Safety Bay," said my wife.
"It will be a token of our gratitude for a safe escape from the ship."
"I like it!" said Ernest.
The others agreed, and so the bay was known as Safety Bay from that moment on.
We easily decided on Tentholm for the place where we first lived.
Many names were proposed for our tree house, but we finally decided on Falconhurst.
We spent the rest of the day quietly.
The following morning I proposed an expedition to Tentholm.
We went by a different route.
The boys roamed ahead of my wife and me.
Knips the monkey rode along on Juno the dog.
Soon I heard a joyful shout, and Ernest came running toward me at full speed, followed by his brothers.
He held out a plant for me to see.
"Potatoes! Potatoes, Father!" Ernest was gasping for breath.
"Yes," said Jack. "Acres and acres of potatoes. Come look at them."
My wife and I hurried to the spot.
There indeed was a great area of land covered with potato plants.
"Ernest, you've made a great discovery," I said.
"With all these potatoes, we'll always have something to eat."
"Ernest may have the honor of discovering the potatoes," said Jack.
"But I'll have the honor of being the first to harvest them."
So he set to work digging potatoes with his hands.
Knips followed his example and soon had a pile of potatoes beside him.
Everyone began digging, and we didn't stop until we'd filled every bag, pouch, and pocket.
We pushed on to Tentholm, loaded down with potatoes but happy with our find.
Along the way the boys pestered me for the names and uses of the many strange plants and trees we passed.
I recognized some of them, but there were many others that I couldn't identify.
Everything was safe at Tentholm, and we began gathering what we wanted to take back.
I collected a fresh supply of salt, and my wife wanted to make butter.
Jack and Ernest ran down to the beach to capture the geese and ducks that we'd left behind.
The birds were out on the water, and nothing could persuade them to come ashore.
"I know!" said Ernest. "Let's ask Mother for some cheese and string."
"Cheese and string?" said Jack. "Who will eat that?"
"Just watch," said Ernest as he led Jack to the tent for supplies.
Back at the beach, the boys broke off pieces of cheese and tied a long string around each one.
Ernest threw the bait into the water, and the hungry birds instantly went after it.
With a little maneuvering, he got the birds onshore, where Jack caught them and tied their feet together.
We soon set off for Falconhurst.
After a pleasant walk, we were back at our tree house.
I released the birds into our stream.
After a delicious supper of potatoes, milk, and butter, we went to bed.