When we were alone, I seriously besought my wife not to oppose any occupations our children might plan, however they might seem beyond their power; the great point being, to keep them continually occupied, so that no evil or dangerous fancies might fill their minds.

"Let them," I said, "cut stone, fell trees, or dig fountains, and bless God that their thoughts are so innocently directed." She understood me, and promised not to discourage them, only fearing the excessive fatigue of these undertakings.
Our boys returned from the magazine, delighted with what they had found, and loaded with work-tools.

Those of the masons,--the chisel, the short hammer, and the trowel, were not to be found, and rarely are taken out to sea; but they had collected a great number of carpenters' tools,--saws, planes, rules, &c.

And now that Fritz was a smith, he had no difficulty in making any tool he wanted.

He was loaded on each shoulder, and in each hand he brought a specimen of gunpowder; one sort was in good condition, and they had found a barrel of it; the other was much damaged by the water.