One evening Robinson sat in his shelter thinking of his plans to
escape to Friday's country. He was sad. For, after all, this place
was very dear to him. It was the only home he had. Had he not made
everything with his own hands? It was doubly dear to him on this
account. He thought how it would grieve him to leave his goats, his
fields, and the many comforts he had here.
He had been telling Friday of his home in New York. He told him of
the great city, and of its many wonderful sights. He told him of his
country and people, of his flag and its history. All these things
brought back memories of his boyhood and he wondered what changes had
come in his long absence. Friday, with wonderful intelligence,
listened to all Robinson told him. He was delighted in hearing
Robinson tell of the wonders of the great world, for he had never
known anything about it. As they talked Robinson noticed the approach
of a storm. The sky was getting black with clouds. The winds were
blowing a hurricane. The waves were coming in mountain high. It
reminded him of the eventful night now twenty-five years ago when his
ship was tossed up on the shore like an egg shell and broken to
pieces.
Suddenly there was a sound that made Robinson start from his seat with
the wildest alarm. Was it the sound of a cannon from the ocean or the
terrible crash and roar of the water on the rocks of the coast? There
it is again; it is a cannon! Some ship is in distress! This is its
signal! Robinson ran out and down to the shore with Friday at his
heels.
"O master!" said Friday, "can we not help? If they only knew the
island was here and how to steer into the harbor beyond the point of
land on the south."
Robinson was so excited that he scarcely knew what he was doing. He
ran up and down the shore calling wildly, but the awful roar of the
sea and wind drowned his cries. Suddenly his thoughts came to him.
"Quick, Friday, get some fire in a pot. We will run to the point,
gather grass and wood, and make a fire there. Maybe we can guide them
into the harbor."
They soon had a great beacon light sending its welcome greeting far
over the sea. The pilot of the ship saw it and steered his ship nearer
and nearer. Robinson was ready to shout for joy as the ship seemed
about to make the harbor. The ship had her sails torn in shreds and
her rudder broken. It was hard to steer her in such a gale. On
rounding the point, she was blown on the rocks. With a frightful crash
which could be heard above the din of the storm she struck and held
fast. Robinson could hear the cries of the men and the orders of the
officers. They were trying to get boats ready to put off, but such
was the confusion of the storm and the enormous waves breaking over
the deck that it could not be done quickly. Before the men could get
a boat into the sea, and get into it, the ship gave a lurch to one
side as though about to sink. All the men jumped for one boat. It was
overburdened. The wind tossed it about. The sea soon filled it and
it went down and all were lost.
Robinson and Friday remained on the shore all night. They watched to
see if they could not help some poor sailor that might cling to a
plank and be blown on shore. They saw no one.
At last they lay down, but they could not sleep. Many times they
sprang up and ran about for fear that some poor fellow would need
their help. At last morning came. The storm ceased. Robinson and
Friday searched everywhere for the bodies of the sailors, but could
find none. But the wind had blown the ship in plain view, and into
shallow waters. It was lying on the bottom with more than half its
bulk out of the water. The masts were gone. It was a sad sight. No
human being could be seen on it.
They were now rejoiced that they had their boat ready. "Let us take
it," said Robinson "and go out to the ship. It may be some person is
still on the unfortunate ship." They were soon by the ship's side.
They rowed around it until they saw a rope hanging down from the deck.
Robinson seized this and clambered up. Friday tied the boat fast, and
followed. Robinson opened the door leading from the deck into the ship
and went down. He searched in all the cabins, and knocked at all the
doors. He called, but all was still. When he was satisfied that every
person on board had been drowned he wept bitterly.
Friday stood there with open and staring eyes. He looked and looked.
He was astonished at the large ship and at the wonderful things before
him. They were in the cabin where the passengers had been. There stood
trunks under the benches and clothes hung on the hooks on the wall.
One trunk was open. In it were telescopes through which the travelers
had looked at the land. Robinson saw also paper, pens, pen-holders
and ink. Books were also near by. Robinson first took a thick book.
It was the Bible, out of which his mother had so often taught him.
Then they came to the sailors' cabin. There hung muskets and swords
and bags of shot and cartridges. Then they went to the work-room. There
were saws, hammers, spades, shovels, chisels, nails, bottles, and pails,
knives and forks. And something more, over which Robinson was most
glad, matches. At last they came into the store-room. There lay bags
of flour and barley, teas, lentils, beans and sugar. Then Robinson
embraced Friday in his great joy and said to him, "How rich we are!"