would often let the chests and casks drop, so that they were broken
and their contents would run out on the ground. For he was always
thinking, "Where have these casks come from and how beautiful it must
be there!" And many times packages came back because Robinson had
written the name of the place or the country wrong. For when he was
writing the address, he was always thinking, "You will be laid upon
a wagon and will then go into the ship." One day he had to write a
letter to a man far over the sea. He could stand it no longer. His
father had gone out. He threw down the pen, picked up his hat and ran
out to the Hudson to see the ships, and from that time on he spent
more time loitering along the river than he did in the store.




III

ROBINSON'S DEPARTURE


Robinson's father soon noticed that his son was no longer attending
to his work, and one morning sent for him to come to his office. When
Robinson came in his father arose from his chair and looked him long
and earnestly in the face. Then he said, "I am very sorry, Robinson,
that you seem determined to continue your evil ways. If you do not
do better you will grow up to be a beggar or worse." Robinson cast
his eyes down and said, "I do not want to be a merchant, I would rather
sail in a ship around the world." His father answered, "If you do not
know anything you cannot be of use on a ship, and no one will want
you. In a strange land you cannot live without working. If you run