ing my foot upon his head to let me know he
would serve me so long as he lived.

In a little time I began to speak to him and teach him to speak to me;
and, first, I let him know his name should be Friday, which was the day
I saved his life. I likewise taught him to say "Master," and then let
him know that was to be my name. I made a little tent for him, and took
in my ladders at night, so that he could no way come at me.

But I needed not this precaution, for never man had a more faithful,
loving servant than Friday was to me. I made it my business to teach him
everything that was proper to make him useful, especially to make him
speak, and he was the aptest scholar that ever was. Indeed, this was the
pleasantest year of all the life I led in this place. I began now to
have some use for my tongue again, and, besides the pleasure of talking
to Friday, I had a singular satisfaction in the fellow himself. His
simple, unfeigned honesty appeared to me more and more every day, and I
began really to love the creature; and I believe he loved me more than
it was possible for him ever to love anything before.

_IV.--The End of Captivity_

I was now entered on the seven-and-twentieth year of my captivity on the
island. One morning I bade Friday go to the seashore and see if he could
find a turtle. He had not been gone long when he came running back like
one that felt not the ground, or the steps he set his feet on, and cries
out to me, "O master! O sorrow! O bad!"

"What's the matter, Friday?" said I.

"O yonder, there," says he; "one, two, three canoes!"

"Well," says I, "do not be frightened."

However, I saw the poor fellow was most terribly scared, for nothing ran
in his head but that the savages were come back to look for him, and
would cut him in pieces and eat him. I comforted him, and told him I was
in as much danger as he. Then I went up the hill and found quickly by my
glass that there were one-and-twenty savages, whose business seemed to
be a triumphant banquet upon three human bodies. I came down again to
Friday and, going towards the wretches, sent Friday a little ahead to
see what they were doing. He came back and told me that they were eating
the flesh of one of their prisoners, and that a bearded man lay bound,
whom he said they would kill next.

This fired the very soul within me, and, going to a little rising
ground, I turned to Friday and said, "Now, Friday, do exactly as you see
me do." So, with