Are the young wings strong and steady For the journey through the sky ? Come again in early spring-time ; And till then , good-by , good-by ! '' VIII . LITTLE GULLIVER . Up in the light-house tower lived Davy , with Old Dan the keeper . Most little boys would have found it very lonely ; but Davy had three friends , and was as happy as the day was long . One of Davy 's friends was the great lamp , which was lighted at sunset , and burnt all night , to guide the ships into the harbor . To Dan it was only a lamp ; but to the boy it seemed a living thing , and he loved and tended it faithfully . Every day he helped Dan clear the big wick , polish the brass work , and wash the glass lantern which protected the flame . Every evening he went up to see it lighted , and always fell asleep , thinking , `` No matter how dark or wild the night , my good Shine will save the ships that pass , and burn till morning . '' Davy 's second friend was Nep , the Newfoundland , who was washed ashore from a wreck , and had never left the island since . Nep was rough and big , but had such a loyal and loving heart that no one could look in his soft brown eyes and not trust him . He followed Davy 's steps all day , slept at his feet all night , and more than once had saved his life when Davy fell among the rocks , or got caught by the rising tide . But the dearest friend of all was a sea-gull . Davy found him , with a broken wing , and nursed him carefully till he was well ; then let him go , though he was very fond of `` Little Gulliver , '' as he called him in fun . But the bird never forgot the boy , and came daily to talk with him , telling all manner of wild stories about his wanderings by land and sea , and whiling away many an hour that otherwise would have been very lonely . Old Dan was Davy 's uncle , -- a grim , gray man , who said little , did his work faithfully , and was both father and mother to Davy , who had no parents , and no friends beyond the island . That was his world ; and he led a quiet life among his playfellows , -- the winds and waves . He seldom went to the main land , three miles away ; for he was happier at home . He watched the sea-anemones open below the water , looking like fairy-plants , brilliant and strange .
He found curious and pretty shells , and sometimes more valuable treasures , XXXXX up from some wreck .
followed go loved said save seemed slept tended trust washed