An American Robinson Crusoe | Page 4

as I can
and stay with my dear parents!" The storm raged the whole day and the

whole night. But on the next morning the wind went down and the sea
was calm. By evening the sky was clear and Robinson was again
cheerful. He ran about the ship. He looked at the glittering stars and
was contented and happy.

V
THE SHIPWRECK
Several weeks went by. Robinson had long ago forgotten his
resolutions to return home. It was very hot. The glowing sun beat down
upon the ship. The wide surface of the sea glistened. No breeze stirred.
The sails hung loose on the top of the mast. But far away on the shore
could be seen a black bank of clouds.
All at once the ship was thrown violently to one side by a fierce gust of
wind. Robinson threw himself on the deck. The sea began to rise and
fall. The waves were as high as mountains. Now the ship was borne
aloft to the skies, and now it would seem that it must be overwhelmed
in the sea. When it sank down between the great waves of water,
Robinson thought it would never again rise. The waves beat violently
on the ship's side. Robinson went down the steps into his little room,
but he came back full of anxiety. He believed every minute he would
meet death in the waves. The night at last came on. The lightning
flashed. The storm howled. The ship trembled. The water roared. So the
night wore on. The storm raged for six days. Then on the seventh day it
was somewhat abated. But the hope was soon dashed. The storm had
abated but to get new strength. Suddenly it bore down with frightful
power on the doomed vessel, struck it, and shot it like an arrow through
the water. Then Robinson felt a fearful crash. The ship groaned as if it
would fall into a thousand pieces. It had struck a rock and there held
fast. At the same moment the sailors raised the cry, "The ship has
sprung a leak!" The water surged into the ship. All called for help. Each
one thought only of himself. There was only one boat. The others had
all been torn away. It was soon let down into the sea. All sprang in. For
a moment the sailors forgot the waves, but all at once a wave,

mountains high, struck the boat and swallowed it up. Robinson shut his
eyes. The water roared in his ears. He sank into the sea.

VI
ROBINSON SAVED
Robinson was borne down far, far into the ocean. He attempted to work
himself up, so that he could see light and breathe the air. But again and
again the waves carried him down. Finally a wave threw him up and he
saw, for a moment, the light of day and got a breath of air, but the next
instant he was deep under the water. Then another wave bore him on its
crest. He breathed a deep breath and at the same time saw land not far
away. He bent all his strength toward reaching the land. He got almost
to it, when a wave caught him and hurled him on a jutting rock. With
all his strength he seized the rock with both hands and held on.
Presently he worked himself up a little and at last got a foothold. But,
scarcely had he done so, when his strength left him and he fell on the
ground as one dead. But he soon revived. He opened his eyes and
looked around. He saw above him the blue sky, and under him the solid
brown earth, and before him the gray angry sea. He felt to see if he still
breathed. The storm had destroyed the ship. The waves had
overwhelmed the boat. The water wished to draw him into the deep.
The rocks seemed to want to hurl him back, but storm and wave and
rock had accomplished nothing. There was One who was stronger than
they.
Then Robinson sank on his knees and folded his hands. Tears came to
his eyes. He breathed hard. At last he said, "Dear Father in Heaven, I
live. Thou hast saved me. I thank Thee."

VII
THE FIRST NIGHT ON LAND

"Where are my companions?" That was his first thought. He began to
call and halloo: "Where are you?" "Come here!" But no one answered.
Then he wished to see if anyone lived on the land, and he cried, "Is
there no one here? Hello!" but all remained still.
All at once he drew himself together and shrank back. He heard a bush
rustle and the thought came like a flash, "That is a wild animal that will
pounce upon