There was Uncle Ed sitting on a pile of goods on the railroad
bank looking for all the world like an Italian immigrant. We answered with
a shout and scrambled back to the clearing. Then we ran splashing through
the water, pushing the boat before us. It didn't take us long to load up
and carry him back to the island.
A Rustic Table.
Uncle Ed entered into our fun at once. He was as enthusiastic as a boy
over the surroundings, and when we told him of the old bridge he started
right off to investigate, taking the ax with him. Soon he had pried off a
number of the planks, which we used for a flooring to our tent. Then he
built us a table out of four forked sticks, driven into the ground, and
supporting two cross sticks, on which a pair of planks were laid.
[Illustration: Fig. 67. The Rustic Table.]
The Small Filter.
"Well, now, boys," said Uncle Ed, wiping the perspiration from his
forehead, "I am as thirsty as a whale. Where do you get your drinking
water? Is there a spring on the island?"
We told him that we used the river water.
"What, river water I That won't do at all," he cried. "You'll all have the
typhoid fever. We must build a filter. I brought some charcoal with me for
this very purpose.
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