[Illustration:  ROBINSON CRUSOE rescuing FRIDAY from his pursuers.]

The greatest astonishment that my new servant conceived was the manner of killing the savage at such a distance, without a bow and arrow; and such was his longing desire to know it, that he first pointed to the dead carcase, and then made signs to me to grant him leave to go up to him.  Upon which I bid him go, and, as well as I could, made him sensible I granted his request.  But when he came there, how wonderfully was he struck with amazement!  First, he turned him on one side, then on another, wondering he could perceive no quantity of blood, he bleeding inwardly; and after sufficiently admiring the wound the bullet had made in his breast, he took up his bow and arrows, and came back again; upon which I turned to go away, making signs to him to follow, left the rest missing their companions, might come in pursuit of them, and this I found he understood very well, by his making me understand that his design was to bury them, that they might not be seen if it happened; and which by signs again I made him sensible I very much approved of.  Immediately he fell to work, and never was a grave-digger more dextrous in the world than he was; for in an instant, as I might say, he scraped a large hole in the sand with his hands, sufficient to bury the first in; there he dragged him; and without any ceremony he covered him over; in like manner he saved the other; so that I am sure no undertaker could be more expert in his business, for all this was done in less than a quarter of an hour.  I then called him away, and instead of carrying him directly to my castle at first, I conveyed him to my cave on the farther part of the island; and so my dream was now fulfilled in that particular, that my grove should prove an asylum or sanctuary to him.

Weary and faint, hungry and thirsty, undoubtedly must this poor creature be, supported chiefly by the vivacity of spirit, and, uncommon transports of joy that his deliverance occasioned.  Here I gave him bread and a bunch of raisins to eat, and water to drink, on which he fed very cheerfully, to his exceeding refreshment.  I then made him a convenient bed with a parcel of rice straw, and a blanket upon it, (a bed which I used myself sometimes) and then pointing to it, made signs for him to lie down to sleep, upon which the poor creature went to take a welcome repose.

Indeed he was a very comely, handsome, young fellow, extremely well made, with straight long limbs, not two large, but tall and well shaped, and, as near as I could reckon, about twenty-six years of age.  His countenance had nothing in it fierce or surly, but rather a sort of majesty in his face; and yet, especially when he smiled, he had all the sweetness and softness of an European.  His hair was not curled like wool, as many of the blacks are, but long and black, with the most beautiful, yet careless tresses spreading over his shoulders.  He had a very high