This done, nothing more remained but to place the frame across a pair of bars, and leave the pulp to get drained and eventually become dry.

When dry, it would be _paper_! Of course, with one sieve, the whole quantity required could not be made at a single cast; but, as soon as one sheet became sufficiently dry to be taken off the frame, the sieve was again repulped; and so on, till the whole of the boiled bark was converted into paper; and they found themselves in possession of a sufficient number of broad sheets to make a kite as big as a coach-house-door.
In consequence of their having to wait for the drying of each sheet, the process occupied them for several days; but during this time they had not been either idle or inactive.

Karl and Caspar had been hard at work, in getting up the "bones" of the kite; while Ossaroo had undertaken to fabricate the tail.
The rope with which it was to be "flyed," occupied more time, and required more care, than any other portion of their work.

Every strand had to be twisted with the greatest exactness; and almost every fibre tested, as to its strength and fitness.

Could they have used a rope of stouter build, it would not have been necessary to be so particular; but a thick rope would have been too heavy for the kite to carry--just as it had been too heavy for the strength of the eagle.