Another rainy season arrived. But this time it seemed to pass quickly.
That was because we now had Jenny with us.
Her lively spirits and good conversation kept us happy.
She and the boys told many wondrous tales to entertain everyone during the evenings.
At last the rains ceased, and we stepped out into the spring air.
After the rainy season, our various properties required attention.
Jack and Franz spent a day working on the island in the bay.
They repaired the watchtower and put the two cannons in working order.
As evening drew near, the rest of us strolled along the beach.
We watched Jack and Franz as they completed their work.
Soon it was time for target practice.
Paddling off in the kayak, Jack and Franz left an empty tub at a distance from the island.
They returned to the island and fired.
The tub shattered into pieces, and the boys shouted with triumph.
As their shouts died away, we heard three cannons booming in response.
"Could that possibly be from a ship?" asked Fritz.
"It sounded like it came from the west," said Ernest.
"Maybe it was just the boys firing again," suggested Jenny.
But Jack and Franz were paddling as fast as they could toward us.
They must have heard the sound too.
So many questions rushed through my mind.
Was a European ship nearby? Or was it a Malay pirate?
What would happen when we met our fellow humans?
Would they be friends who would help us?
Would they be enemies who would attack us?
Or would they be poor, unfortunate creatures who needed our help?
Before I could say anything, Jack and Franz were onshore.
"Did you hear them?" gasped Jack. "What shall we do? Where shall we go?"
"Oh, Fritz!" said Franz, grasping his oldest brother's hands.
"It must be a European ship. We shall find it.
We shall see Switzerland once more!"
Until then I did not realize how much the two boys longed to return to Europe.
"What should we do?" asked Fritz.
"We can't do anything right now," I said. "It is growing dark.
We will have to wait until tomorrow."
We returned to Rockburg in the greatest excitement.
Everyone was talking eagerly, and no one went to bed until late.
That night the boys and I took turns keeping watch in case more signals were fired.
In the middle of the night, the wind began to blow.
And for the next two days, a fearful storm kept us impatiently trapped at home.
On the third morning the skies cleared, and I set off to the island with Jack and Franz.
I was worried that the storm had destroyed the ship.
Or that it had gone out to sea to weather the storm and would not return.
We fired the cannons. One. Two. And then we waited.
For some minutes there was no reply.
Then we heard the answering sound of cannons in the distance.
"They're still nearby!" shouted Jack.
We quickly returned to shore, where the family was in the greatest state of excitement.
"Calm yourselves!" I said to everyone.
"I don't know the answers yet to any of your questions."
Fritz and I prepared to investigate.
Well-armed and equipped with a telescope, we seated ourselves in the kayak.
"Be careful!" called my wife as we set off.
We paddled out of the bay and around the high cliffs to our left.
For almost an hour we proceeded in the direction from which the cannon sounds had come.
But we saw nothing until we came to a small cove.
Then suddenly we saw a large ship!
Keeping our kayak close to the cliff, I peered through the telescope.
I did not want those on board to see us.
"It's an English naval ship," I said, "and there are some tents pitched onshore."
I handed the telescope to Fritz.
But I began to have some concerns. "Why is this ship here?" I asked.
"It's so far off the usual shipping routes.
Perhaps its crew has done away with the captain and seized the ship?"
"No, Father!" Fritz exclaimed.
"I can see the captain talking to one of the officers.
All looks well on board. Take another look."
He handed the telescope back to me, and I saw that he was right.
"Let's go to them at once!" said Fritz, taking up his paddle.
"No," I said firmly.
"I do not want to appear before these strangers like this.
We will go home and gather up the whole family.
Dressed in our finest clothing, we will return in the sailboat and welcome these men to our shores."