Page 39 - An American Robinson Crusoe

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