There were trees enough on the island to build a fleet. But, I must find one that was close to the water, so that we could launch the boat when it was made. At last Friday found one. He knew, better than I, what kind of wood was best for making a boat.
It was an odd-looking tree, and to this day I do not know its name.
Friday chopped it down. He cut off a part of it for the boat.
He wished to build a fire on the top of it and thus burn out the hollow part of the boat.
But I showed him a better way, to chop it out with hatchets and chisels.
In about a month it was finished. With our axes we cut and hewed the outside till it was in a very good shape.
Then we worked hard for two weeks to get the boat into the water.
But when she was in, how well she floated! She would have carried at least twenty men.
It was wonderful how well Friday could manage her. It was wonderful how fast he could paddle.
"Now, Friday," I said, "do you think she will carry us over the sea?"
"Yes, master," he said, "she will carry us even in the worst wind."
My next care was to make a mast and a sail, and to fit the boat with an anchor and a rudder.
It was easy enough to get the mast. I had Friday cut down a tall young cedar that grew near the place.
He shaped it and smoothed it, and made as pretty a mast as you would wish to see.
As for the sail, that was another thing. I had old sails, or pieces of old sails in plenty.
But they had been lying in this place and in that for six and twenty years. It would be a wonder if they were not all rotten.
After a long search I found two pieces which I thought would do. I set to work, patching and stitching.
It was slow work without needles, you may be sure.
At last I had a three-cornered, ugly thing.
I had also a little short sprit to run up at the top of the mast.
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