would return and rescue me.

"I felt, and told them they were undertaking what was sure death, and
bid them good-bye, never expecting to see them again. Week after week
and month after month passed, and nothing was heard of them. I was
alone, and nothing but the animals old Dunman had domesticated to keep
me company. As a means of attracting the attention of any vessel that
might be passing, I built a hut on a high hill near the coast, and used
to go there at night and build a fire as a signal. There wasn't a sail
came near. I had never feared death before; but to have to die on this
unknown island, with everything so strange and mysterious around me, and
never be heard of again by my parents and friends, excited all sorts of
curious fears in me. And the more I thought of it the more I wanted to
get away.

"Well, it was five months since my companions set sail. Poor Ryder, poor
Doane; these were their names. They were both young men from Cape Cod;
and as brave and true-hearted as ever lived. I got up one morning to
renew my signal-fire, and was wondering what had become of the poor
fellows, and saying to myself how foolish they were to anticipate death.
It was just in the grey of daylight. Happening to cast my eye down the
coast, I espied the dim figure of a sail advancing quietly up the coast.
I shouted for joy at the sight, not thinking or caring whether it might
bring friends or foes. The wind was light, but fair, and the little
craft, which turned out to be a taunt-rigged schooner of about a hundred
and twenty tons, came gliding along like some white-winged thing of
life, for she had a square sail and fore and main gaff-topsails set.

"Just before reaching the cove she furled her square sail and took in
the gaff-topsails--a proof that she was making port. I hastened down to
the coast, for it was broad daylight now, and watched her every
movement. She stood into the cove, rounded to, hauled down her jibs, and
dropped her anchor. The men in charge of that vessel handled her as if
they were familiar with the place. An hour passed, and no attempt was
made to land. Men appeared on deck, moving about in the quiet discharge
of their duty, but no attention was directed to the shore. Then a man
stood on the quarter with his glass raised, and scanned the shore from
point to point. Then there was an aggravating pause, and the rest of the
men seemed to disappear below. Then an increased number appeared on
deck, and began cle