II.
Robert Graywanted to be a Robinson Crusoe, and he actually went so far as to form a plan by which he could live on an island, sleep in a cave, and have no companions but a dog and an old cat.
Of course he did not tell any body about this famousplan, for fear his friends might find it out, and prevent him from becoming a Crusoe. But he went to work, and got every thing ready as fast as he could. He was a smart boy, as I have said before, and his plan was very well laid for a child.
He meant to be Robinson Crusoe, Jr., but he was not quite willing to go upon the island without any tools towork with, or any thing to eat, after he arrived. I think, if he could, he would have made sure of most of the comforts of life.
Mr. Gray’s shop was only a short distance from the river. The little brook in which Robert placed his water-wheel, widened into a pretty large stream near the shop. Here Mr. Crusoe, Jr., intended to build a raft, which should bear him to the lonely island.
Near the middle of the great pond, which my young friends will find described in The Young Voyagers, there was a small island, which Robert had chosen for his future home, and where he was to be “monarch of all he surveyed.”
After Frank Lee’s unfortunate cruise down the river, Robert had some doubts about being able to reach the island.But these did not prevent him from trying to carry out his plan. He might, perhaps, get wrecked, as Joe Birch had been; but if he did, it would be so much the more like Robinson Crusoe,—only a rock, with the water knee deep upon it, was not a very good place to be “monarch of all he surveyed.”
Robert’s father and mother had gone to visit his uncle inthe State of New York, and were to be absent two weeks. This seemed like a good time for his great enterprise, as his oldest sister was the only person at home besides himself, and she was too busy to watch him very closely.
He worked away on his raft for two days before he finished it, for he did not mean to go to sea, as he called it to himself, in such a shabby craft asthat in which Joe had been wrecked. He had tools from the shop, a hammer, and plenty of nails, and he made the raft very strong and safe.
It was raised above the water, so that the top was dry when he stood upon it; and to make it more secure, he put a little fence all round it, to prevent him from slipping off if the craft should strike upon a rock.
Then he made two oars with which he could move and steer the raft. He also nailed a box upon the platform, upon which he could sit. When this queer ark was done, he pushed it out into the stream, and made a trial trip as far as the river, and rowed it back to the place from which he started.
From the barn he took two horse-blankets, for his bed on the island, and placed themon the raft. He got a tin cup and a kettle from the house, as well as several other things which he thought he might need. A small hatchet and some nails from the shop completed his outfit. All these articles were secured on the raft, just before dark, and the next morning he intended to start for the island.
Robert was so tired after the hard work he had doneupon the raft, that he slept like a rock all night, and did not wake up till his sister called him to breakfast. He had intended to start very early in the morning, but this part of his plan had failed.
After breakfast, he took twenty cents which he had saved towards buying a book called The Swiss Family Robinson, which Frank Lee told him was something like RobinsonCrusoe, and went to the grocery store to buy some provisions.
He bought a sheet of gingerbread, some crackers, and a piece of cheese, and ran across the fields with them to the brook. He was very careful to keep away from the house, so that his sister should not see him. Having placed these things in the box on the raft, so that they wouldbe safe, he went back to the house once more.
“Puss, puss, puss,” said he; and presently the old black cat came purring and mewing up to him, and rubbing her head against his legs.
Poor pussy had not the least idea that she was destined to be the companion of a Robinson Crusoe; so she let him take her up in his arms. If she had only known what a scrape shewas about to get into, I am sure she would not have let Mr. Crusoe, Jr., put one of his fingers upon her.
“Trip, Trip, Trip,—come here, Trip,” said he to the spaniel dog that was sleeping on the door mat.
Trip had no more idea than pussy of the famous plan in which he was to play a part; so he waked up and followed his young master. I don’tbelieve Trip had any taste for Crusoe life; and he would have liked to know where his beef and bones were to come from, for he was not very fond of gingerbread and crackers.
If pussy didn’t “smell a rat” when they reached the raft, it was because there was no rat for her to smell; but she showed a very proper spirit, and, by her scratchingand snarling, showed that she did not like the idea of sailing down the river on a raft.
Robert did not heed her objections; and what do you think he did with poor pussy? Why, he put her in the box with the crackers and gingerbread and cheese! Trip, having a decided taste for the water, did not object to going upon the raft. Yet, judgingfrom the way he looked up into his master’s face, he wondered what was “in the wind,” and what big thing was going to be done.
“Now, Trip, we are all ready for a start,” said Robert, as he stepped upon the raft. “You needn’t scratch and cry so, pussy. Nobody is going to hurt you.”
Trip looked up in his face and wagged his tail, and pussyscratched and howled, and refused to be comforted. But Trip had the advantage of pussy very much in one respect, for, when he became sick of the adventure, he could jump into the water and swim ashore.
Robert, however, gave little thought or heed at this moment to the wishes or comfort of his two companions, for his mind was whollytaken up with the preparations for the grand departure.
All was now ready; Robert pushed off the raft, and it floated slowly down the stream.