We soon found that The Nest was not built so well as we thought, for
the rain came in at the sides, and we had good cause to fear that the
wind would blow the roof off. Once the storm made such a rush at it
that we heard the beams creak, and the planks gave signs that there was
more strain on them than they could bear. This drove us from our room
to the stairs in the trunk, on which we sat in a state of fear till the
worst of the storm was past. Then we went down to the shed we had built
on the ground at the root of the tree, and made the best shift we
could. All our stores were kept here, so that the space was too small
to hold us, and the smell from the beasts made it far from a fit place
for six of us to dwell in; but it was at least safe for a time, and
this was of course the first thing to be thought of. To dress our food
we had to make a fire in the barn, and as there was no place to let out
the smoke, it got down our throats and made us cough all the day long.
It was now for the first time that my wife gave a sigh for her old
Swiss home. But we all knew that it was of no use to grieve, and each
set to work to do all he could to make the place look neat and clean.
Some of our stores we took up the stairs out of our way, and this gave
us more room.
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