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he knew, and his words made me feel quite sure that the mainland of South America was

not far away.

In fact, the low shore that I could see far to the west of my island was part of the

coast of that great continent.

Friday told me that white men sometimes went there. He said that they had long,

dark beards and were always trying to trade with his people.

I felt quite sure they were Spaniards, and I had a great mind to go over, if I could,

and join them. Indeed, my whole mind was set on seeing some of my own people again.

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I thought that if I could only get to the mainland, I would find some way to reach

England, or at least some place where Englishmen lived.

At last I told Friday that I would give him a boat to go back to his own country.

This was part of my plan for getting away from the island.

I took him over to the other side of the island and showed him my canoe.

We cleared it of water and then took a short sail in it. Friday could paddle very

well.

"Now, Friday," I said, "shall we paddle across the sea to your own country?"

He looked very dull at my saying this, and I saw that he thought the canoe was

too small.

"Well," I said, "I have a bigger boat. I will show it to you to-morrow."

The next morning, therefore, I took him to see the first boat I had made and which

I could not get to the water.

He said it was big enough. But it had been lying on the ground for twenty-three

years and was rotten.

"We will make a new boat, Friday," I said. "We will make one as big as this. Then

you shall go to your old home in it."

He looked very sad.

"Why are you angry with Friday?" he asked. "What has he done?"

I told him that I was not angry, and asked him what he meant.

"Not angry! not angry!" he cried. "Then why do you want to send Friday away to

his old home?"

"Why, Friday," I said, "didn't you say that you wished you were there?"

"Yes, yes," said he. "Friday wishes both were there, but not Friday without his

master."

"But what would I do there?" I asked. "I could do nothing."

"Oh, yes, master," he answered very quickly, "You could do much. You could

teach wild mans to be tame, to know God, to live right. You could do much."

"No, Friday," I said. "You shall go without me. Leave me here to live by myself

as I did before."

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He looked very sad. Then all at once he ran and picked up a hatchet. He brought it

and gave it to me.

"What shall I do with this?" I asked.

"You take it. Kill Friday," he said.

"Indeed," I said, "and why shall I do that?"

"Then why do you send Friday away?" he said "Better kill than send away."

The tears stood in his eyes as he spoke. I saw that he loved me and would always

stand by me.

So I told him that I would never, never send him away, and that he should always

stay with me.

You should have seen his eyes brighten.

I MAKE A NEW BOAT

I MADE up my mind to begin the new boat at once (начать /строить/ новую

лодку).

So, the next day, I went with Friday to find a good tree.

There were trees enough on the island to build a fleet (достаточно деревьев на

острове, чтобы построить флот). But, I must find one that was close to the water

(близко к воде), so that we could launch the boat when it was made (чтобы мы смогли

спустить лодку, когда она будет готова).

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At last Friday found one. He knew, better than I, what kind of wood was best for

making a boat (какой вид дерева был лучшим для создания лодки).

It was an odd-looking tree (странное дерево), and to this day I do not know its

name (и до сего дня я не знаю его названия).

Friday chopped it down (срубил его). He cut off a part of it for the boat (отрезал

часть его для лодки).

He wished to build a fire on the top of it (захотел разжечь огонь в верхней

части /этого бревна/) and thus burn out (и таким образом выжечь) the hollow part of

the boat (полую часть лодки).

But I showed him a better way (но я показал ему лучший способ = способ

получше), to chop it out with hatchets and chisels (/что можно/ выдолбить

его /бревно/ топориками и долотом).

In about a month it was finished (примерно через месяц она /лодка/ была

закончена). With our axes (топорами) we cut and hewed the outside till it was in a very

good shape (мы резали и рубили наружную часть, пока она не приняла очень

хорошую форму).

Then we worked hard for two weeks to get the boat into the water.

But when she was in, how well she floated (поплыла)! She would have carried at

least twenty men (она могла бы везти самое малое двадцать человек).

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It was wonderful (удивительно) how well Friday could manage her (управлять

ею). It was wonderful how fast he could paddle (как быстро он мог грести).

"Now, Friday," I said, "do you think she will carry us over the sea (перевезет нас

через море)?"

"Yes, master," he said, "she will carry us even in the worst wind (даже при