We found in it some rum (рома), a few biscuits (несколько печений), a horn of
powder (рог пороха), and five or six pounds of sugar (фунтов сахара). This last was
very welcome to me, for I had not tasted sugar for several years (не ощущал вкуса
несколько лет).
All these things we carried on shore. Then we knocked a big hole in the bottom of
the boat (пробили большую дырку в днище лодки).
To tell the truth (сказать правду), I had but little hope that we would ever recover
the ship (вернем). But I thought that after she had sailed away we might repair the boat
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(думал, что, когда корабль уйдет, мы починим лодку). Then we could no doubt make
our way to the Spanish settlements on the mainland (смогли бы проделать путь к
испанским поселениям на континенте).
About an hour before sunset (до заката), we heard a gun fired from the ship.
"It is as I told you," said the captain.
We saw a signal waving from the mast (сигнал с мачты; to wave — подавать
сигнал, махать). Then several other shots were fired (было сделано еще несколько
залпов).
At last, when there was no answer either to the signals or to the guns there was a
great stir on board (большое шевеление на борту), and the other boat was launched
(спущена).
I watched them with my spyglass (наблюдал через подзорную трубу).
As the boat neared the shore (приблизилась к берегу), we saw that there were
ten men in her and that they were all armed with muskets (вооружены мушкетами).
The sun shone in their faces (светило в лица) and we had a good sight of them as
they came (и мы могли хорошо их рассмотреть, когда они подплывали).
The captain knew them all. He said that there were three very honest fellows
among them who had gone into this business against their will (было трое очень
честных людей среди них, которые ввязались в дело против своей воли). All the
rest, however (все остальные, однако), were bad men who were ready to do any wicked
deed (готовы сделать любой нехороший поступок).
We now set free two of our prisoners (освободили двоих их пленников), for
they seemed to be trustworthy men (которые казались надежными: «доверия
достойными» людьми) and glad that matters had turned in the captain's favor (в пользу
капитана).
"Can we trust them (доверять им), Captain?" I asked.
"I will stand good for them (ручаюсь за них)," said the captain.
I gave them each a gun. We had now seven armed men to meet the ten who were
coming to the shore.
But we kept ourselves hidden (скрывались) and waited to see what they would
do.
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As soon as they reached the shore they ran to see the other boat. What was their
surprise to find her stripped of everything and a hole in her bottom (каково было их
удивление обнаружить ее лишенной всего и с дыркой в днище).
They shouted (кричали), but no one answered.
They fired off their muskets, making the woods ring with their echoes (заставив
лес звучать от эхо). But still there was no answer.
Then they launched their boat again, and all started to the ship (двинулись к
кораблю).
But on the way they changed their minds (изменили решение). It would never do
(не пойдет), they thought, to leave their friends on the island without so much as hunting
for them (не поискав их должным образом).
They therefore rowed back to the shore (погребли обратно к берегу). Three men
were left with the boat as guards (как стражники), and the rest started out into the
country to seek their lost companions (остальные отправились на берег искать
потерявшихся товарищей).
We should have been glad if they had come our way, so that we might have fired
on them; but this they failed to do (этого они этого не сделали; to fail — не исполнить,
не сделать).
Night was fast coming on (ночь быстро опускалась), and they did not dare to go
far from the shore (не осмелились идти далеко от берега).
By and by (постепенно) they came back to the boat again.
We feared that they had given up the search (боялись, что они бросили поиски)
and would now return to the ship.
The sun was setting (заходило), and darkness would soon cover both land and
sea (темнота скоро накроет и землю, и море; both — оба, и то и другое).
anxious [‘ænk e
ʃ s]
I HAVE AN ANXIOUS DAY
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WHILE we were talking we had slowly withdrawn among the trees where we
were sheltered from sight. The captain promised me that if we should succeed in getting
control of the ship, he would do anything that I wished. He would carry me to England or
to any other part of the world. He would live and die with me.
"Well, then," said I, "if you will all obey my commands, we will see what can be
done."
I gave each one of them a musket, with powder and shot. I told them to kill as few
of the ruffians as they could, and to make prisoners of them all if possible.
Just then we heard some of them awake. In a moment thee men came out of the
grove and started down to the shore.
"Are these the ringleaders?" I asked.
"No," answered the captain.
"Well, then, let them go," I said; "but if the rest escape, it will be your fault."
With a musket in his hand and a pistol in his belt, the captain started forward. I
was close at his side, while Friday and the other two men went a little ahead of us.
The mate in his eagerness chanced to step on some dry sticks which broke with a
sharp noise beneath his feet. One of the seamen, hearing this, looked out and saw us.
He gave the alarm. The sleeping wretches awoke and sprang to their feet. But it
was too late. Our guns were already upon them.
I need not tell you of the fight. It was sharp and short.
At its close the two ruffians who had caused all this trouble were lying dead upon
the ground. The three other men, who were but slightly hurt, were our prisoners. As for
my little army of five, not one was so much as scratched.
While the captain and I were binding the prisoners, Friday and the mate ran to the