He
felt very sorry for the Spaniards left in Friday's country. They did
not have enough to eat and were sick and sad besides. He talked the
matter over with the Spaniard many times. They at last planned to send
for them. The Spaniard and Friday's father were to go. Robinson was
for doing it at once. But the Spaniard advised delay. "How can we get
food for ourselves and fifteen others? Your small store will soon be
used up," he argued. Robinson at last saw that this difficulty must
be overcome. There was just one thing to do, and this, to delay their
departure until a new crop of corn could be raised. This would take
six months.
But at it they went. The four men could do much and work fast. They
cleared more ground and planted all the seed corn they could spare
from their store. Besides this they sowed about twelve bushels of
barley they had gotten in the ship.
The care for so much crop, its harvesting and storing away, kept them
very busy for the season. Robinson not only did this, but also
increased his flock of goats by catching kids and putting them in his
pasture. He gathered, too, all the grapes he could and dried them on
the branches of trees.
At the end of the harvesting season, they made ready their boat. They
filled it with all the bread it could well carry. They put in raisins
and fresh water. Robinson gave the Spaniard and Friday's father each
a musket and plenty of powder and bullets.
Pages:
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114