"You saved my life,"
he seemed to say, "and now I will serve you." Robinson named him Friday
at once, for that was the day on which the great event of his escape
had taken place.
Robinson's next care was to fit him out with some clothing. He had
by this time several suits made of his coarse cloth. He soon had Friday
dressed in one of the old ones, with a straw or braided hat on his
head. He did not think it safe to allow Friday to sleep with him in
the bower. He made a little tent for him inside the enclosure. This
was covered with goatskins and made a very good protection from both
heat and rain.
Robinson took care to keep all his knives and weapons near him in the
bower. But his fears that Friday might harm him were unfounded. Friday
from the first was faithful to his master. He was sweet and obedient
in all things. He seemed to look upon Robinson with the love of a
child for its father and never tired of serving him.
XXXVII
ROBINSON AS A TEACHER
(From Robinson's Diary)
"I began to consider that having now two mouths to feed instead of
one, I must provide more ground for my harvest and plant a larger
quantity of corn than I used to plant. So I marked out a larger piece
of land and began to fence it in. Friday worked not only very
willingly but very hard. I told him that it was for corn to make more
bread because he was now with me. He let me know that he was grateful
for my kindness and would work much harder if I would tell him what
to do.
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