lowly turning in the water like a float on a
fishing-line. This was very agreeable; but he was, nevertheless, greatly
relieved when a boat came in sight sailing toward him. As it came near,
it proved to be the clock, with a sail hoisted, and the Goblin sitting
complacently in the stern.

"How d'ye do, Gobsy?" said Davy.

"Prime!" said the Goblin, enthusiastically.

"Well, stop the clock," said Davy; "I want to get aboard."

"I haven't any board," said the Goblin, in great surprise.

"I mean I want to get into the clock," said Davy, laughing. "I don't
think you're much of a sailor."

"I'm not," said the Goblin, as Davy climbed in. "I've been sailing one
way for ever so long, because I don't know how to turn around; but
there's a landing-place just ahead."

Davy looked over his shoulder and found that they were rapidly
approaching a little wooden pier, standing about a foot out of the
water. Beyond it stretched a broad expanse of sandy beach.

"What place is it?" said Davy.

"It's called Hickory Dickory Dock," said the Goblin. "All the eight-day
clocks stop here;" and at this moment the clock struck against the
timbers with a violent thump, and Davy was thrown out, heels over head,
upon the dock. He scrambled upon his feet again as quickly as possible,
and saw, to his dismay, that the clock had been turned completely around
by the shock and was rapidly drifting out to sea again. The Goblin
looked back despairingly, and Davy just caught the words, "I don't know
how to turn around!" when the clock was carried out of hearing distance,
and soon disappeared on the horizon.

The beach was covered in every direction with little hills of sand,
like haycocks, with scraggy bunches of sea-weed sticking out of the tops
of them; and Davy was wondering how they came to be there, when he
caught sight of a man walking along the edge of the water, and now and
then stopping and gazing earnestly out to sea. As the man drew nearer,
Davy saw that he was dressed in a suit of brown leather, and wore a
high-peaked hat, and that a little procession, consisting of a dog, a
cat, and a goat, was following patiently at his heels, while a parrot
was perched upon his shoulder. They all wore very large linen collars
and black cravats, which gave them a very serious appearance.

Davy was morally certain that the man was Robinson Crusoe. He carried an
enormous gun, which he loaded from time to time, and then, aiming
carefully at the sea, fire