The next picture was produced with great promptness, and the audience was left to pick out the various properties of the hero of the story, while Frank continued: [Illustration: CRUSOE'S EQUIPMENT.] "'But he saved from on board a gun and a sword, And another old matter or two, so That by dint of his thrift he managed to shift Pretty well for poor Robinson Crusoe.' "A contemplation of this admirable painting," said Frank, "will show you how much may be accomplished by very small means with a man of determination, or what amounts to pretty much the same thing, a man that can't help himself. It is hardly necessary to say that the hero of our story was obliged to make the best of everything, and the next picture shows how he accomplished it. [Illustration: CRUSOE AND HIS GUN.] "He wanted something to eat, and couldn't get meat, The cattle away from him flew, so That but for his gun he'd been sorely undone, And starved would poor Robinson Crusoe.'" [Illustration: CRUSOE AND HIS PETS.] By this time Fred had become accustomed to handling the sketches, and the change was made with great alacrity. Frank rested a moment till the eyes of the audience had sufficiently scanned the picture presented for their inspection, and which revealed the interior of Crusoe's residence when that gentleman was at dinner, with his pets about him. "The parrot will speak for himself," said Frank, "and therefore we will proceed with the narrative. The rest of the pets have never been known to talk, except in fables, and therefore we may conclude that they had nothing to say, though there is no reason to doubt that they were always glad to see their master, and did their best to console him and to lighten the burden of his solitude. From the appearance of things we may regard the family as a happy one. "'He happened to save from the merciless wave A poor parrot, believe me 'tis true, so That when he came home from his wearisome roam, She'd cry out 'Poor Robinson Crusoe!'" "The explanation of the next picture may possibly be a tax on your credulity," said Frank; "but it is so stated in the song, and I cannot alter the words as they were originally written. The author doubtless availed himself of what is called 'the poet's license,' and followed Crusoe's example of using everything at his command. [Illustration: CRUSOE'S CASTLE.] "'Then he got all the wood that ever he could, And stuck it together with glue, so He made him a hut, in which he did put All the flocks of Robinson Crusoe.'"