"I am pondering over a much more serious matter; and that is, how we shall keep ourselves warm?
My coat, unfortunately, is getting pretty nearly worn-out!" "And so is mine," cried Eric, exhibiting the elbows of his reefing jacket, in which a couple of large holes showed themselves.

The rest of the garment, also, was so patched up with pieces of different coloured cloth that it more resembled an old-clothes-man's sack than anything else! "Well, what do you think of our paying our tailor a visit ?" said Fritz all at once, after cogitating a while in a brown study.
Eric burst out into a loud fit of laughing; so hearty that he nearly doubled himself up in the paroxysms of his mirth.
"Ha, ha, ha, what a funny fellow you are, Fritz!" he exclaimed.

"I wonder where we are going to find a tailor here ?" "Oh, I know one," said his brother coolly, in such a matter-of-fact way that the lad was quite staggered with surprise.
"Do you ?" he asked in astonishment.

"Who is he ?" "Your humble servant," said Fritz, with a low bow.

"Can I have the pleasure of measuring you for a new suit, meinherr ?" Eric began laughing again.
"You can measure away to your heart's content," he replied; "but, I fancy it will puzzle even your lofty intellect to discover the wherewithal to make clothes with--that is, except sailcloth, which would be rather cold wear for winter, I think, eh, Master Schneider ?" "How about those two last sealskins we didn't salt down, or pack up with the rest in the puncheon ?" enquired Fritz with a smile.
"O-oh!" exclaimed Eric, opening his mouth wide with wonder.
"A-ah," rejoined his brother.