(Continuing from Part 48)
The three prisoners stared at me in astonishment.
I could understand their surprise. I wore strange clothes made from goatskins, carried several weapons, and had a long beard. I must have looked unlike any Englishman they had ever seen.
One of the men stepped forward.
He seemed uncertain whether I was a real person or some strange creature of the island.
I spoke again.
“Do not be afraid. I am an Englishman, and I wish to help you.”
The man looked toward the sky.
He seemed overcome with emotion.
Then he told me that he was the captain of the ship anchored offshore.
His own sailors had rebelled against him.
They had taken control of the vessel and made him their prisoner.
The two men beside him were the ship’s mate and a passenger who had remained loyal to him.
The rebels had brought them ashore, intending to leave them on the island.
The captain believed that they might be killed if the sailors returned.
I listened carefully.
His story explained much of what I had seen.
The rough behavior of the armed men, the prisoners’ distress, and the unusual arrival of the ship now made sense.
I asked whether the rebels intended to become pirates.
The captain said that some of them had spoken of such plans.
He believed that a few dangerous men had persuaded the others to join the rebellion.
I considered the situation.
The ship was English.
If we could recover it, I might finally escape from the island.
But I did not want my desire for freedom to make me careless.
I asked the captain whether he would accept my help under certain conditions.
He immediately answered that he would.
I told him that I had lived on the island for many years and had built a home here through great labor.
I possessed food, weapons, and other supplies.
If I helped him recover his ship, I expected him to treat me fairly.
He must not abandon me after regaining command.
He must take me and my companion to England without demanding payment.
The captain agreed at once.
He promised that, if we recovered the ship, he would carry us home.
He also agreed to follow my instructions while we remained on the island.
I was satisfied with his answer.
But before acting, I needed to understand our enemies.
“How many of the sailors are dangerous?” I asked.
The captain explained that several men had led the rebellion.
Two were especially violent.
Others had joined because they were frightened or had been persuaded by the leaders.
He believed that some might return to their duty if they were given a chance.
This was useful information.
I did not wish to fight more men than necessary.
I asked whether the sailors had many weapons.
He told me that they had firearms and swords, although some were now resting without keeping proper watch.
I looked toward the beach.
The men had become careless.
They believed the island was uninhabited.
They had no idea that armed people were watching them.
I decided that we should take advantage of their mistake.
First, I gave the captain and his companions weapons.
They were surprised by the guns and ammunition I possessed.
I explained that I had saved these things from the wreck of my own ship many years earlier.
The captain looked at me with renewed astonishment.
He could hardly imagine how I had survived alone for so long.
But there was no time to tell my whole story.
I instructed the men to remain quiet and follow my directions.
Friday stood nearby, ready to help.
The captain looked at him with curiosity, but I explained only that Friday was my faithful companion.
We now had five men who could act together.
I considered our chances.
There were eight rebels on the shore.
But some were asleep, and others had wandered away.
If we moved quickly, we might overcome the most dangerous men before the others understood what was happening.
I told the captain to identify the leaders.
He pointed them out.
Two were resting beneath the trees.
Another was standing nearby.
I decided that we should approach quietly.
We moved through the woods, using the trees for cover.
Friday followed me closely.
The captain and his companions carried the weapons I had given them.
As we came nearer, I could hear the sailors talking.
They seemed completely unaware of our presence.
I whispered to the captain that he should try to capture the men if possible.
But if the leaders resisted violently, we would have to defend ourselves.
The captain nodded.
He understood that our lives were at risk.
We moved forward.
Suddenly, one of the rebels noticed us.
He shouted in surprise.
The others jumped to their feet.
The captain called out to them.
He ordered them to surrender.
For a moment, the men stood motionless.
Then one of the leaders reached for his weapon.
The captain fired.
The man fell.
Another rebel tried to escape but was stopped.
The remaining sailors were frightened.
They had expected no resistance on the island.
Now they saw their former captain standing before them with armed companions.
Several immediately begged for mercy.
The captain ordered them to put down their weapons.
They obeyed.
I stepped forward and told them that they would be treated fairly if they surrendered.
I also warned them that any further violence would be answered with force.
The men seemed eager to save their lives.
We collected their weapons and tied up those whom the captain considered most dangerous.
The others promised to obey him.
I was pleased that the struggle had ended so quickly.
But I knew that our greatest difficulty remained.
The ship was still anchored offshore.
Other rebels were aboard.
If they discovered what had happened, they might sail away and leave us behind.
I asked the captain how many men remained on the vessel.
He told me that enough sailors were aboard to manage it.
We would need to recover the ship before they became suspicious.
I looked toward the sea.
The vessel lay peacefully at anchor, its masts rising above the water.
For many years, I had dreamed of seeing such a sight.
Now the ship was close enough to reach, but it was still in the hands of men who might prevent my escape.
I turned to the captain.
“We have recovered your freedom,” I said. “Now we must recover your ship.”
He agreed.
We began discussing how to make the men aboard believe that nothing unusual had happened.
I knew that success would depend upon patience, secrecy, and careful planning.
My long years on the island had taught me those qualities.
And now I hoped they would finally help me return home.