While this was going on, Robinson noticed that the savage whom he had knocked down had begun to move, and to come to his senses.  To this he drew the attention of the man whom he had rescued, who said some words that Robinson could not understand, but which sounded pleasant to an ear that had heard no voice but his own for more than twenty-five years.  Next he made a motion with his hand, as if asking for the cutlass that hung at Robinson’s belt, and when the weapon was given to him he ran at his enemy, and with one clean blow cut off his head.  Then, laughing, he brought the head, and laid it with the cutlass at Robinson’s feet.

But what caused most wonder to the man was how the savage whom Robinson shot had been killed at so great a distance, and he went to look as the body, turning it over and over, and looking long at the wound in the breast that the bullet had made, evidently much puzzled.

Robinson then turned to go away, beckoning to the savage to follow, but the man made signs that he would bury the two bodies in the sand, so that the others might not find them if they followed.  With his hands he soon scraped holes deep enough to cover the bodies, and in less than a quarter of an hour there was hardly a trace left of what had happened.

Calling him away, Robinson now took him, not to his castle, but to the cave, where he gave him food and water; and then he made signs for him to lie down and rest, pointing to a bundle of rice straw.

Soon the man was sound asleep.  He was, Robinson thought, a handsome and well-made man; the muscles of his arms and back and legs showed great strength, and all his limbs were beautifully formed.  As near as Robinson could guess, he was about twenty-six years of age, with a good and manly face, and long black hair.  His nose and lips were like those of a European, and his teeth were white and even.  In color he was not black, but of a sort of rich chocolate brown, the skin shining with health, and pleasant to look upon.

VI

Robinson trains Friday, and they build A large boat; they rescue two prisoners from the cannibals

In a little while Robinson began to speak to him, and to try to teach him things.  First he made him understand that his name was to be “Friday” (that being the day of the week when Robinson had saved him from a horrible death).  Then he taught him the meaning of “Yes,” and “No,” and to call Robinson “Master.”

Friday showed great quickness in learning.  He seemed to be happy and contented, and free from trouble, except that the clothes which Robinson made him wear gave him at first great discomfort, for in those warm parts of the world the natives are not used to clothes, but always go about naked.

The day following that on which Robinson had saved Friday, they went out together to see if there were any signs of the cannibals still being on the island, but it was evident that they had gone away without troubling about the two men whom Robinson had killed.