Part 2

In spite of these difficulties, Robert went to work like a hero, and by sunset, he had finished his house so far as he could, for his stock of boards fell short when he had covered the top and one side of the dwelling.

While he was so busy he had not kept watch of Trip, and the glutton had gone to the box in which the gingerbread and crackers were kept, and eaten all he could of them. What he could not eat, he had munched up, till a decent pig would have refused to touch it.

“Trip, Trip. Come here, Trip, you rascal,” cried Robert, angry enough to kill the dog, if he had been near.

Trip did not answer to the call; in fact, after he had eaten all he could, he quietly slipped into the water and swam to the main shore.

Robert sat down, and actually wept with vexation. Every thing was spoiled by the unfeeling conduct on the part of Trip. There was not even enough for his supper left, though his hunger made him partake of some of the cleanest of the mess.

The sun set, and the darkness gathered around him. He now crawled into his new house, and rolled himself up in his blanket; but it was very gloomy, and he was cold and tired. How different from his father’s kitchen!

Robert began to think what a fool he was, and wished himself at home with all his heart. He wondered what his sister thought had become of him. Of course she had missed him before this time, and very likely she was then searching for him in the village. Perhaps the people would make just such a fuss as they did when Frank Lee was lost.

He had not thought of this before, and he felt sorry that he had caused his sister so much pain and anxiety as his absence would occasion.

As he shivered with cold, he came to the conclusion that it was not so pleasant, after all, to be a Robinson Crusoe. The book was all very well as a story, but it was not the life he cared to live.

He was so cold, he could not go to sleep. I suppose some of the boys who read this will ask why he did not make a fire. There was a very good reason. He had put a bunch of matches into his pocket in the morning, but when he fell into the water they had been completely soaked, and not one of them would “go.”

Hour after hour he lay there, shivering and weeping, till at last he fell asleep, so worn out that he could endure no more. Do you suppose he dreamed of Crusoe in his cave, with his dog and his parrot?

It is more likely that he dreamed of his warm bed at home; of hot biscuit and new milk, of apple pie and doughnuts. But after he had slept an hour or two, he was awakened by loud calls on the pond.

He was terrified by the sounds, and perhaps thought, at first, that the savages were coming to have a feast on the island; but I am sure he had no wish to procure a Man Friday from their number.

The noise was made by a party who were searching for the young Crusoe. For several hours the fears of his sister had filled her with agony. Some one told her that her brother had been making a raft, and she called upon the neighbors to explore the river.

She feared that he had been drowned, for no one thought of such a thing as that he had turned Crusoe. It was possible he had gone ashore, and got lost; so the people took boats and went down the river, searching closely on their way.

They were looking for the raft, and had been down to the dam below without finding it. On their way down they had shouted all the time; but Robert slept so soundly that he did not hear them.

On their return they went nearer to the island, and their cries had roused him from his uneasy slumber. Robert heard them call his name, and his fears vanished.

“Halloo!” he shouted in reply.

“Where are you?” asked one of the men in the boat.

“On the island.”

In a moment more, the boat touched the shore, where Robinson Crusoe, Jr., shivering with cold, was waiting for them.

“What in the world are you doing here? Where is your raft?” asked Mr. Green, who was in the boat.

“I pulled it to pieces, for I meant to stay here and be a Robinson Crusoe,” answered Robert.

The men laughed at the idea, and Robert began to cry again. Finding that Crusoe felt badly, Mr. Green told the men not to laugh at him. So they wrapped him up in his blankets, and taking the rest of his things into the boat, they rowed back to Riverdale.

Robert’s sister was glad enough to see him, so she did not scold him much; but for a long time afterwards the boys in the village called him Robinson Crusoe, Jr.

He never wanted to live on a desolate island again, and said no more about trying to catch a Man Friday. On the contrary, the adventure caused him to love his parents and his home more than ever before.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:

Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_.

Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.

Archaic or variant spelling has been retained.

New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public domain.