Робінзон Крузо
A Dream Realised
However,Ikeptmystation,andmyspiritsbegantorecoverwhenIfoundthattherewasnotabovethreementhatfollowedhim; andstillmorewasIencouragedwhenIfoundthatheoutstrippedthemexceedinglyinrunning,andgainedgroundofthem; sothatifhecouldbutholditforhalfanhour,Isaweasilyhewouldfairlygetawayfromthemall.
Therewasbetweenthemandmycastlethecreek,whichImentionedoftenatthefirstpartofmystory,whenIlandedmycargoesoutoftheship; andthisIsawplainlyhemustnecessarilyswimover,orthepoorwretchwouldbetakenthere. Butwhenthesavageescapingcamethitherhemadenothingofit,thoughthetidewasthenup;butplungingin,swamthroughinaboutthirtystrokesorthereabouts,landed,andranonwithexceedingstrengthandswiftness. Whenthethreepersonscametothecreek,Ifoundthattwoofthemcouldswim,butthethirdcouldnot,andthat,standingontheotherside,helookedattheother,butwentnofurther,andsoonafterwentsoftlyback,which,asithappened,wasverywellforhiminthemain.
Iobservedthatthetwowhoswamwereyetmorethantwiceaslongswimmingoverthecreekasthefellowwasthatfledfromthem. Itcamenowverywarmlyuponmythoughts,andindeed,irresistibly,thatnowwasmytimetogetmeaservant,andperhapsacompanionassistant,andthatIwascalledplainlybyProvidencetosavethispoorcreature’slife. Iimmediatelyrundowntheladderswithallpossibleexpedition,fetchedmytwoguns,fortheywerebothbutatthefootoftheladders,asIobservedabove,andgettingupagain,withthesamehaste,tothetopofthehill,Icrossedtowardsthesea, andhavingaveryshortcut,andalldownhill,clappedmyselfinthewaybetweenthepursuersandthepursued,hallooingaloudtohimthatfled,who,lookingback,wasatfirstperhapsasmuchfrightedatmeasatthem; butIbeckonedwithmyhandstohimtocomeback;