III.
Theriver was broad and deep, but Robert was not afraid. He had been on the water a great deal for a little boy, and he was sure that his raft was strong enough to bear a pretty hard knock upon the rocks.
Poor pussy kept up a constant crying, in the box, andonce in a while she scratched, with all her might, against the sides; but she could not get out.
Trip behaved himself much better, but he gazed up in his young master’s face all the time, and did not know what to make of this very singular voyage.
Robert was much pleased with his success thus far, and was satisfied that he shouldmake a very good Robinson Crusoe, Jr. The raft worked quite well, and with the great oar at the stern, he could steer it as easily as though it had been a real boat.
He had not yet reached the dangerous part of the river, which was called theRapids. This was the place where Joe Birch had been wrecked. He had some doubts about being able to pass with safety betweenthe rocks, which here rose above the surface of the water.
But he was a bold, brave boy, and he was almost sure that, if any thing happened, he could swim ashore.
As he thought of the raft being dashed to pieces against a rock, he wondered what would become of poor pussy.
He did not want to drown her; so he decided to give hera fair chance to save her life in case of any accident. He opened the box, and pussy was glad enough to get out.
As she jumped from the box, Robert saw that she had made a sad mess of the provisions he had obtained for use on the island. She had scratched open the papers, and the gingerbread was broken into a hundred pieces. The cheese was all mashed up andground in with the gingerbread, and the whole mass was well mixed with black hairs from the cat’s back.
Robert was so angry when he saw the wreck within the box, that he was tempted to throw pussy overboard for the mischief she had done. But the thought that it was not the cat’s fault saved her from a cold bath.
It was not of her own willthat she had taken up her quarters in the box. She did not want to go in there, or stay there after she was in; and all the mischief had been done by her efforts to be free.
Pussy was even more astonished at the prospect around her than the dog, and she jumped from one end of the raft to the other a dozen times, seeking to find some way to escape. She was nosailor, on the one hand, and did not like her position in the midst of the waters. And she did not like the idea of wetting her soft black coat by swimming ashore, on the other hand.
When she found there was no way to get ashore without taking to the water, she took her stand next to Trip, and began to mew in a most sorrowful manner. The doglooked at her, and bow-wowed two or three times, as much as to say, “What are you afraid of, pussy? Don’t you see I’m not scared?”
Robert went to work upon the contents of the box, to save some of his food, if he could. The hatchet and the nails were covered with soft cheese, and it took him some time to put things in order again.
While he was busy at the box, he did not pay much attention to the raft, and it kept turning round and round, as it floated with the current down the river.
While the little navigator was thus engaged, the raft bumped against something, and Robert sprang to his feet. The whirling craft had run up against the shore, and got aground.
This did not hurt the raft any; but pussy, who had kept both of her sharp eyes fixed upon the land all the time, no sooner saw the vessel touch, than she improved her chance and jumped ashore.
“Pussy, pussy, pussy,” called Robert, when he saw that one of his companions had given him the slip.
It was of no use to call her, for she was scampering awayas fast as her nimble feet would carry her in the direction of home. She had no idea of sharing the fortunes of Mr. Robinson Crusoe, Jr., on his lonely island.
“That’s real mean—isn’t it, Trip?” said he, as he turned to the dog.
But it was very clear that Trip did not think it was mean, for he was in the very act of springing ashore himself.
“Here, Trip. Come here, sir,” cried he, as he tried to get hold of the dog’s collar.
Trip did not stop to hear any argument on the subject, but, with a long leap, placed himself on the shore. He did not run off, as pussy had done, but stood on the bank of the river, and barked with all his might.
The raft had now floated off a short distance, and Roberttook his oars and rowed it to the shore, for he could not think of such a thing as losing both of his friends, and before he landed on the island.
“Come here, Trip. Poor fellow. Come here, sir,” said he, whistling, and patting his knees, to entice the dog to him.
Pushing the raft up a little distance upon the shore, he stepped on the beach to catchthe dog. As he did so, the raft, lightened by the removal of his weight, slid off and went to sea again “on its own hook.”
As the loss of his vessel seemed to be a greater misfortune than the loss of the dog, he turned from the latter to recover the former.
The raft floated out about a rod from the shore, and began to go down stream. Thewater was quite shallow, and Robert waded in till he got hold of the truant craft; but in attempting to jump upon the platform, he slipped, and went all over into the water.
His courage was good, however, and he managed to pick himself up, and climb upon the raft. The ducking did him no harm; but the day was cool, and his wet clothes did not add to his comfort.
Pulling to the shore again, he fastened the raft to a tree with a rope he had brought for the purpose. Taking off all his clothes, he wrung them as dry as he could, and put them on again.
“Now, come here, Trip,” said he to the dog, which had been watching all his movements. “Now we will try again. You needn’t try to sneak off, for you are goingwith me to the island, any how.”
After some coaxing he got near enough to Trip to seize hold of his collar, to which he tied the rope that fastened the raft.
“I didn’t think you would be so mean as to run away and leave me, as pussy did,” said Robert, as he dragged Trip upon the raft once more. “But you shall go with meon the voyage, whether you like it or not.”
Having secured his prisoner, he pushed off again, and the raft floated slowly down the river. He passed the Rapids in safety, though the raft got two or three pretty hard knocks upon the rocks.
When he reached the pond, he had to take his oars, for the current would not carry him to the island, where hewished to go. He had to work very hard for as much as an hour, before he could bring the raft to the island. But at last he reached it, and began to feel that he was “monarch of all he surveyed.”