, said his prayers, and as he was thoroughly exhausted, he soon
fell asleep. When he awoke the sun was high in the sky. At first he
could not remember where he was. Then the truth burst upon him. He tried
to move. He was stiff and sore. His flesh was bruised from being thrown
against the rocks and beaten by the waves.

He was dreadfully thirsty. His mouth and throat were dry and parched
from the salt water. His tongue was thick and swollen. He said, "I must
find some water to drink or I shall die!"

It was hard work to get down from the tree. His limbs and back ached
from sitting in the tree all night. At last he slipped down and fell on
the ground. He clasped his hands in prayer and thanked God for keeping
him through the night.

[Illustration]

Then he got up and tried to walk. He was so weak he could not stand.

He threw himself down on the ground and began to sob and cry, "O Lord,
do not let me die! Do not let me die!" As he lay there he heard a queer
sound. He listened. It sounded like water running over rocks. He tried
to get to the place from which the sound came. He tried to walk. When he
fell he crawled on his hands and knees. At last the sound was close by.
He dragged himself up on the rocks. Yes, there was a spring of clear,
cool, sparkling water bubbling up and trickling over the stones.
Robinson was so thirsty he put his face into the water and drank and
drank.

Then he sat down, and after a while he drank again and again.

After Robinson had satisfied his thirst and rested awhile, he felt much
better. He said, "I must try to walk and see whether I can find
something to eat." He found many kinds of fruits and berries all around
him, but he was afraid to eat them, as they were strange to him and he
feared they might be poisonous.

As he was walking along, all at once he spied a tall plant in the
distance which had a familiar look. It looked like corn. He said to
himself, "I wonder if it can be corn." At last he came near enough to
recognize it. Yes, it was corn. It did not look exactly like the corn
that he saw at home, but still he knew it would be safe to eat it. He
broke off an ear and eagerly ate the kernels raw. Oh, how good it was!
Robinson could not remember anything that tasted half so good.

He ate as much as he wanted and then filled his pockets with ears of
corn for his supper. Then he went back to the spring to get another
drink.

[Illustration]

VIII

ROBINSON ON AN ISLAND