- Matt is super-relieved when Attean returns the next day.
- He dives back into good ol' Robinson Crusoe, but he fudges the story a little so that Attean won't run out on him again, and says Crusoe and Friday become companions, leaving out the whole master and slave dynamic that actually happens.
- As Matt reads, he cuts out the sketchy parts when Crusoe acts all superior, and he also realizes that as an island native, Friday sure is clueless—he should have been able to teach Crusoe a thing or two. Looks like someone's learning to recognize racism…
- Attean invites Matt to go fishing, and Matt can't hide his giddiness.
- When Attean fishes, he makes a spear out of a branch and—get this—spears the fish while standing in the water; needless to say, Matt's impressed.
- Matt takes a turn, knowing he'll look like a fool—and sure enough, not only does he miss the fish, but he slips and crashes into the water too.
- Attean watches him with "a horrid grin" (10.13). Ha.
- Matt feels mighty angry as he wonders if Attean was trying to make him look stupid on purpose, then he grabs his fishing line and starts to haul in a biggie.
- But the line breaks, causing Matt to lose not only the fish, but his last hook too. Bummer, right?
- Worry not: Attean shows him how to carve a new hook.
- Matt realizes that Attean helped him when he didn't have to, and he also realizes that he's learning to survive without all his "white man" contraptions (10.29).
- Attean starts a fire with his knife and a stone, and Matt cleans the fish. Then there's a How-to-Cook-a-Fish-Like-Attean lesson.
- Both boys are happy, and Matt even says something to make Attean smile—and this time, his smile is genuine.