ow to braid mats and rugs out of his fibre, and
finally replaced his awkward hat and parasol with others braided very
skillfully from the long grasses that grew so abundantly in the marshy
places.

Another thing that Robinson was now able to make or weave out of his
fibre was a hammock. He had slept all this time on a bed made of poles
laid lengthwise and thickly covered with the skins of goats and rabbits.

Now he could have a comfortable place to sleep. He did not stop until he
had made two. One was for the bower and the other was for use
out-of-doors. When his work was done in the evening or in the heat of
the midday he would lie in it at full length under the shade of the
trees.

XXXV

A DISCOVERY

Robinson could not forget his boat. It seemed a companion. "It may be
the means of my escape from this place," he thought. He took frequent
journeys across the island to where his little boat lay in the cove. He
would start out in the morning and walk over to the west side of the
island, take his boat and have a pleasant little sail. He always
returned home before dark, for to tell the truth, Robinson was a coward.
He was as timid as a hare. He was afraid of everything and spent many
nights without sleep because of fear.

It was while on one of his visits to his boat that Robinson made a
discovery that changed his whole life. It happened one day, about noon,
when he was going toward his boat that he, with great surprise, saw the
print of a man's naked foot on the shore in the sand. He stood like one
rooted to the ground. He could not move, so great was his surprise and
fear. He listened, looked around, but could hear and see nothing. He
went up to a little hill to look further but nothing was in sight.
There was but the one footprint. There was no doubt about it, there it
was, foot, toes, heel and every part of a foot. Robinson tried to think
how it might have gotten there, but he could not. It was a mystery. He
was greatly afraid and started at once for his shelter. He ran like one
pursued. At every little way he would look behind to see if anyone was
following him.

Never a frightened rabbit ran to his hiding place with more terror than
Robinson ran to his cave. He did not sleep that night for fear and
remained in his shelter for three days, never venturing out. But his
food was growing short and his goats needed to be milked. He finally
with a thousand wild fancies forced himself to go about his duties