CHAPTER 26 – DINNER

When the Spanish is inside the canoe, Friday jumps out of the canoe. He pushes the canoe along the beach.

Soon, we reach the place near our house. Friday helps our new guests out of the canoe. But they aren’t able to walk. We have to carry them to our home.

We have another problem when we reach our house. Friday’s father and the Spanish can’t go over the fence. I think about the solution.

First, I want to pull them over the fence. But the cannibals are already gone. There is no danger from them now. So, we can stay outside the fence.

We make a tent for them outside the fence. We prepare soft beds for them too.

When we finish this, I start to cook dinner. Friday brings some fish and we cook them quickly. We have dinner together in the tent. Friday translates for me because the Spanish can speak Friday’s language.

After the dinner, Friday goes back to the beach. He brings back all the weapons. The next day, we bury the bodies of the killed cannibals. It’s a lot of work.

I speak with Friday’s father the next morning. I want to know what he thinks about the cannibals. I ask, “Can they return? Can they attack us?”

He says, “No, they can’t attack us. They are scared of the guns. They think that you and Friday are spirits sent from heaven.”

I’m still worried that the cannibals can return. But they never return.

When our guests are strong enough, I begin to think about the journey by sea again. I ask the Spanish why he is on these islands. He says that he is from the Spanish ship. He says that there are sixteen Europeans on Friday’s island. They are Spanish and Portuguese. They want to go home, but they can’t build a ship because they have no tools. I show the Spanish the tools which I have from the ship. He says that with my tools it’s possible to build a ship.

I think that the Spanish and Friday’s father can return to their island. They can tell other Europeans about my tools. Together we can build a ship. Then, we can go to Brazil or Havana or maybe Europe.

But the Spanish wants something else. He says, “It’s be better if we wait for some time. There isn’t enough food for sixteen other men on the island. We need more food to eat when we build the ship.” I agree with him.

He and Friday’s father help us expand the fences and fields.

We catch more goats. Now, we have 50 goats. We collect a lot of fruit. Then we dry the fruit.

We also prepare the materials for the ship. I choose some trees. I show the others how to cut the trees. Then we make long and thin pieces.

Soon, we have a lot of food. We have a lot of corn. We need more baskets and pots for the corn.

The Spanish knows how to make baskets. He has a great talent. His baskets are excellent. He uses a special technique when he makes baskets. The technique is fast and effective. He makes the baskets three times faster than me.

I want to learn his technique. He teaches me. I’m not as fast as the Spanish. But I’m faster than before.

WORDS FROM CHAPTER 26