Go-Ahead; Or, The Fisher-Boy's Motto

by Harry Castlemon

Almost every boy who is able to read at all has read Robinson Crusoe, and probably nine out of ten have been foolish enough to wish they had been in his place. Perhaps they would not be willing to undergo the dangers of a shipwreck that they might be cast upon a desert island, for it is by no means certain they would be so fortunate as to escape, or that the winds would be accommodating enough to blow the wreck close in to the shore so that they might visit her, and bring away such articles as they needed to enable them to go to housekeeping. What we mean to say is, that there are restless, discontented boys in the world who are never satisfied, and who believe that if they could only hit upon a plan to transport themselves to some out-of-the-way part of the world, and could surround themselves with all the comforts Crusoe is said to have possessed, they would be supremely happy. Some boys content themselves with playing Robinson Crusoe. A shed built in the back yard answers the purpose of cave and tent, and there they spend hour after hour, living over Crusoe-life as it is related in the story. Imaginary foot-prints are discovered, a make-believe man Friday is rescued from blood-thirsty cannibals, and numerous attacks of savages are repulsed with terrible slaughter. Then come the finding of the Spaniard and Friday's father, the release of the English captain, and the recovery of the vessel that is to take Robinson from the island, and there the game ends; for, by the time all these things are done, the day is generally far spent, and some of the young actors are obliged to return to their homes. We do not suppose that any of these make-believe hermits ever thought seriously of hunting up an uninhabited island in the ocean and living Crusoe-life in sober earnest? There was one boy, however, who was bold enough to conceive of such an idea, and that was Sam Barton. He had read the story, believed every word of it, and was so well pleased with it that he decided to become a Crusoe himself.

If Sam possessed a single good trait, it was a love of reading. He never thought of investing any of his money in books, but every piece of printed paper that he picked up in the streets was read and re-read until it was completely worn out. One morning, while passing by a store, he saw a book swept out upon the sidewalk. He never allowed a prize like that to slip through his fingers, and pouncing upon it, he carried it off in triumph. It proved to be a copy of Robinson Crusoe. It had evidently received very rough usage, for it was soiled and badly torn; but there was enough of it left to make Sam thoroughly disgusted with the life of a ferry-boy, and to put some very foolish notions into his head. Considering the story as altogether too good to be kept to himself, he took his four friends into his confidence, and, during the three weeks following, Robinson Crusoe received the best part of their attention. When the book was finished its hero was declared to be a "jolly old feller," and Sam startled his companions by wondering if they couldn't have a splendid time if they should camp out on Block Island, and live as he had done! This gave them something to think and talk about, and the matter was discussed every time they could get together. They very speedily came to an understanding on one point, and that was, that during the coming summer, they would bid farewell to Newport and turn Crusoes. This being settled, the question then arose, where should they go? Block Island would not answer their purpose, because it was in a civilized country. True, they had often seen goats there, but they belonged to the farmers, who would not consent to have them shot at or chased by dogs. There were grapes in abundance on the island, but they grew in gardens and vineyards, and were claimed by persons who would not permit the young Crusoes to gather them at pleasure, even though they did want to cure them for raisins. There were no savages in that region to visit the island with their prisoners, and there would be but a poor prospect for fights, unless it was with the farmers, or with their parents, who would, no doubt, attempt to bring them home again. This question troubled them for three or four days; and then Sam, who was the acknowledged leader of the enterprise, proposed that they should put to sea in his yawl, and "keep going," until they found a place that suited them, a suggestion to which all the boys at once agreed.

The next thing they talked about was their supplies. They might be fortunate enough to find the wreck of a vessel somewhere, but, after all, the prospect was not very flattering; so it was decided that every thing of which they imagined they would stand in need should be procured before leaving the village. They would require pieces of cable with which to build the wall in front of their cave, canvas for their tent, an adze to cut out boards, a crowbar with which to make their cave larger after the tent was put up, a dog to chase the goats, lead for bullets, and guns to shoot the bullets after they were made; in short, every thing that Crusoe possessed they were determined to have; and, in order to be sure on this point, Sam, with infinite trouble, made out a list of articles from the book.

No sooner was it settled to their satisfaction that their plans could be carried out, than each boy began to exert himself to procure his share of the provisions and equipment. A certain portion of the money they earned was paid into the hands of Jack Bennett, the treasurer (who, by the way, was once soundly whipped by Sam, because he spent two cents of the public funds for pea-nuts), and articles of every description that were found about the streets and wharves, especially old horseshoes, and scraps of copper, were speedily taken in charge by the enthusiastic members of the Crusoe band. In a very short space of time they had a large stock of useless material on hand, and then they began to feel the want of a suitable hiding-place for it. This proved to be another source of trouble to them, until, one day, Jack Bennett, while cruising about under Mr. Newcombe's wharf, in the hope of finding something that would be of value to him, conceived the idea of a cave. This plan being hailed with delight by the others, work was begun upon it that very night; and at the end of two weeks, the cave was completed, and all the articles they had gathered were conveyed to it for safe keeping. A better hiding-place could not have been devised. It was located under the street which ran in front of the warehouse, and, when assembled there to hold their secret meetings, the boys could hear the wagons rattling over their heads. The entrance to their place of retreat was, as we have said, under the wharf, where no one, not even the ferry-boys, ever thought of going. Even in the day-time it was very dark under there, but to make "assurance doubly sure" the door had been concealed so that there was little probability that it would ever be discovered.

The interior of their hiding-place was finished off according to the description they had read of Crusoe's cave, with props in the center to keep it from falling in upon them, and shelves on the left hand side of the entrance, upon which were stowed a variety of useful things. Against the walls were arranged the heavier articles, such as bits of cable, scraps of iron, lead, and copper, pieces of canvas, a small grind-stone, a hatchet or two, several pairs of oars, some carpenter's tools, and two or three boxes containing wheat and rice, which were to be planted as soon as they reached their island. Opposite the entrance, reposing upon a comfortable bed of straw, was a ferocious looking bull-dog, which had come to Sam in much the same way that Crusoe's dog came to him; not from a wreck, of course, but from a schooner which was discharging her cargo at Mr. Newcombe's wharf. Sam had often seen and admired the animal, and believing that he was just the dog they wanted to hunt goats with, he had scraped an acquaintance with him by throwing him pieces of bread and meat, when none of the crew of the vessel happened to be looking at him. In a short time he and the dog became excellent friends, and one day, by exhibiting a tempting piece of beef, he induced the animal to jump overboard and follow him under the wharf, where he was captured and put into the cave, to remain until his master was ready to start on his voyage.

Upon the walls, at the right hand of the entrance, hung five single-barrel shot-guns, each of which had cost the would-be Crusoes two dollars and a half. Below them hung their powder-horns, shot-bags and hunting knives. A flour barrel, turned bottom up, answered the purpose of a table, and upon it, protected from the damp and dirt by a piece of canvas, was the dilapidated copy of Robinson Crusoe, which was to Sam and his friends what the chart and compass are to the mariner.

The members of the Crusoe band had chosen the names of their favorite heroes; and when holding their meetings in the cave, they dropped their true names, and answered only to their assumed ones. Sam, of course, was Robinson Crusoe. He was the leader of the band while they remained on shore, and he was to be the captain of the vessel during the voyage, and the governor of the island when they found it. The names of the others were Jack Spaniard, Friday, Will Atkins, and Xury. (Sam did not know how to pronounce this last name correctly. He always called it Exury.)

"Now, then," said the chief, pulling off his cap and seating himself on a dry goods box beside the flour barrel, "we're ready to begin business. Friday, put that lantern on the table. Have any of you any thing to offer?"

"Yes," replied Will Atkins, "I've got something we had oughter take along. It's a watch."

"A watch!" repeated the chief. "It sha'n't go!"