The next day I set Friday to work. I had him thrash some barley for me and grind the grains into meal as I had always done.
He did his work very well.
Then I let him see me make some bread and bake it. He learned very fast and soon could cook and keep house as well as any one.
Little by little I taught him how to work on my farm. We fenced another field and sowed more barley. For now there were two mouths to feed instead of one.
Very soon Friday learned to talk quite well. He learned the name of everything he saw. He was very quick, and I took pleasure in teaching him.
I told him all about gunpowder and guns and showed him how to shoot. I gave him a knife, which pleased him not a little. I made him a belt and gave him a hatchet to carry in it.
I told him about the countries on the other side of the great ocean. And I told him something of my own history.
Little by little I explained how my people traded in great ships, and how my own ship had been wrecked on the coast of this island.
Thus, between working and teaching, I forgot all my fears. The days passed by, and every day brought some new delight.
It was the pleasantest year of my life.
I often asked my man Friday to tell me about his own country. He told me all that he knew, and his words made me feel quite sure that the mainland of South America was not far away.
In fact, the low shore that I could see far to the west of my island was part of the coast of that great continent.
Friday told me that white men sometimes went there. He said that they had long, dark beards and were always trying to trade with his people.
I felt quite sure they were Spaniards, and I had a great mind to go over, if I could, and join them. Indeed, my whole mind was set on seeing some of my own people again.
I thought that if I could only get to the mainland, I would find some way to reach England, or at least some place where Englishmen lived.
At last I told Friday that I would give him a boat to go back to his own country. This was part of my plan for getting away from the island.
I took him over to the other side of the island and showed him my canoe.
We cleared it of water and then took a short sail in it. Friday could paddle very well.
"Now, Friday," I said, "shall we paddle across the sea to your own country?"
He looked very dull at my saying this, and I saw that he thought the canoe was too small.
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