The Scientific American Boy; Or, The Camp at Willow Clump Island

What he didn't know wasn't worth knowing, so we all thought, and even to this day I sometimes wonder how he managed to contrive and execute so many remarkable plans. At the same time he

ing in his profession, which had taken him pretty much all over the world, and his naturally inquisitive nature, coupled with a wonderful memory, had made him a veritable walking encyclopedia. With such an uncle it is no wonder that Bill knew everything. Of course, there were some things that puzzled eve

Old

Old Trunk

certainly a curiosity shop. It contained a miscellaneous assortment of glass tubes, brass rods, coils of wire, tools, fish hooks–in fact, it was a typical collection of all those "valuables" that a boy is liable to pi

the good old times we used to have as boys along the banks of the Delaware River, until I was brought sharply back to the present by the sound of the dinner bell. It seemed that the matter contained in those "Chronicles" was too good to be kept locked up in an

mas Va

g which gave promise of breaking the spell of warm weather we had been having, and of giving us a chance to try our skates for the first time. True to our expectations, the next day was bitterly cold, and a visit to the canal which ran along the river bank, just beyond our back fence, showed that quite a thick skim of ice had formed on the water. Monday morning, bright and early, found us on the smooth, slippery surface of the canal. "Us" here includes, in addition to Bill and myself, my two younger brothers, Jack and Fred, and also Dutchy Van Syckel and Reddy Schreiner, neighbors of ours. It was the custom at the first of December every year to drain out most of the water in the canal, in order t

me, "have you got any c

d. "What do yo

il. If you have an old sheet

you an old sheet. Do you

nt to the house, where I received my first

s" Ska

aying Out

e 7 feet long and sides each about 4 feet 6 inches long. The surplus end piece was then cut off, and a broad hem turned and basted all around the edges of the triang

Along the diagonal a strip of heavy tape was sewed, leaving loops at intervals, which aft

one end served as the boom or cross-spar. The spars were cut to proper length, and the sail was then tied on, as illustrated, with the crotch of the cross-spar fitted against and tied to the center of the mast. A light rope, long enough to provide plenty o

Clump

realized how far we were getting away from home. As we rounded a bend in the canal, much to my astonishment, I saw just before us the bridge at Raven Hill, eight miles from our town. We started to go back, but the wind was too strong for us, and there wasn't much room

d, "we haven't covered a

ou think of this before

have you with yo

at got to

in a minute. Ho

en odd pockets netted the

makes eighty-six altogether, doesn't it?

the next is at Lumberville. That

that would amount to sixty-six cents. Let's sai

that the next train was not due until

consequently I fell in with Bill's suggestion that we make it a visit. Owing to the rapids which separated the island from the Jersey shore, we had to go up strea

Bill, after we had explored it pretty th

of his experiences in the Adirondacks with his uncle the year before,

e in this kind of weather, and besid

r the summer. Suddenly the distant sound of

he train coming through Spalding's Cut. W

e arrived at Lamington at half past twelve, a trifle late for dinner, rather tired and hungry, but with a glo

ing the

for the exploration of Willow Clump Island. By general acclamation Bill was chosen president of the society, Dutchy was made vice-president, Reddy was elected treasurer, and they made me secretary. It was Dutchy who propose