im how to use tools, and
in a little more than a month the boat was finished. After the boat
was put into the water, Robinson was astonished at Friday's skill in
paddling so large a canoe.

"Will she do to go over in?" he asked, and Friday, grinning, said,
"Yes, even if big wind blow." But Robinson did not mean to depend on
paddling, and fitted the boat with a mast, sails and rudder.

Twenty-six years had passed since Robinson came to the island, and he
still went on digging and sowing. One morning he sent Friday down to
the beach for a turtle. Back he came in a great hurry, crying out,
"Master! Master! over yonder, one, two, three canoe." Loading his
guns, Robinson gave them to Friday to carry, while he armed himself
with muskets, a cutlass, and a hatchet.

When all was ready he went up the hill with his telescope, and saw
that there were in all twenty-one savages, with three prisoners, one
of whom was a white man.

Robinson knew the savages had landed on the island to kill and eat
their prisoners, so he resolved to prevent them if possible. To get at
the savages without being seen, they had to go nearly a mile out of
their way, and being heavily laden they could not go very fast.
Reaching the place, they saw, from behind a clump of bushes, the white
man bound hand and foot on the sand. There was no time to lose, and
their first shot killed three and wounded five of the savages.
Snatching up fresh guns, both fired again, before the savages who were
not hurt could get on their feet, for they were so taken by surprise,
that the poor wretches hardly knew what was happening. This time only
two dropped, but many more were wounded.

While Friday kept on firing, Robinson ran to the white prisoner and
cut his bonds. The man said he was a Spaniard and began to thank
Robinson for what he had done. Robinson handed him the cutlass and a
pistol, telling him, if he had any strength left, to go and do what he
could against the savages. As soon as the man got the weapons in his
hands, he ran with fury at the cannibals and cut two down, and with
equal fury attacked the rest. With the Spaniard to help them, Robinson
and Friday were soon able to clear the place of these dreadful
cannibals, many of whom jumped into the sea.

Friday advised Robinson to take a canoe and go after them lest they
return with hundreds of others to avenge the death of their friends.
So the two ran to the beach and began to shove off a canoe. But to
their