The three prisoners walked slowly along the beach and sat down under
a tree, not far from us. They looked very unhappy.
Very quietly I came up behind them through the trees, and called down
to them in English ‘Don’t be afraid’, I said.
‘I’m an Englishman. Perhaps I can help you.
The three men turned and looked at me. They did not answer at once;
they were surprised. Perhaps they thought I was a wild man myself,
in my strange home-made clothes of animals’ skin, and with my
long hair and beard. Then the oldest man spoke.
I am the captain of that ship,’ he said, ‘and these two men are my first and
second officers. Last night there was a mutiny and the seamen took the ship
from me. Now they’re going to leave the three of us here, to die on this island.’
‘Do these mutineers have guns?’
‘Only two,’ he answered, ‘and they’ve left those on the boat.’
‘All right,’ I said. ‘We’ll fight them, but if we get your ship back for you,
you must take me back to England.’ The captain agreed immediately and thanked me
very warmly for my help. Friday ran back to my house to get all the guns and the
captain and I made a plan.
