Робинзон Крузо
The Ship Recovered
Thismoreperfectlyamusedthem,andtheyallbelievedthatthecommanderwasjustbywithhisfiftymen.
Uponthecaptain’scomingtome,Itoldhimmyprojectforseizingtheship,whichhelikedofwonderfullywell,andresolvedtoputitinexecutionthenextmorning. Butinordertoexecuteitwithmoreart,andsecureofsuccess,Itoldhimwemustdividetheprisoners, andthattheyshouldgoandtakeAtkinsandtwomoreoftheworstofthem,andsendthempinionedtothecavewheretheotherslay. ThiswascommittedtoFridayandthetwomenwhocameonshorewiththecaptain.
Theyconveyedthemtothecave,astoaprison. Anditwas,indeed,adismalplace,especiallytomenintheircondition. TheothersIorderedtomybower,asIcalledit,ofwhichIhavegivenafulldescription; andasitwasfencedin,andtheypinioned,theplacewassecureenough,consideringtheywereupontheirbehavior.
TotheseinthemorningIsentthecaptain,whowastoenterintoaparleywiththem; inaword,totrythem,andtellmewhetherhethoughttheymightbetrustedornottogoonboardandsurprisetheship. Hetalkedtothemoftheinjurydonehim,oftheconditiontheywerebroughtto; andthatthoughthegovernorhadgiventhemquarterfortheirlivesastothepresentaction,yetthatiftheyweresenttoEnglandtheywouldalsohehangedinchains,tobesure; butthatiftheywouldjoinsojustanattemptastorecovertheship,hewouldhavethegovernor’sengagementfortheirpardon.
Anyonemayguesshowreadilysuchaproposalwouldbeacceptedbymenintheircondition.
