He and Friday therefore took Atkins with two others who were the worst to my
cave in the woods. It was a dismal place, but very safe. There the rough fellows were left
with their hands and feet tied fast, and the door blocked up with a huge stone.
Late as it was, I sent the rest of them to my bower. As they also were bound, and
as the place was fenced in and was very strong, they were quite safe there.
They were all much frightened. For they believed that the island was inhabited by
Englishmen, and that the governor had really a large army. They felt that the better they
behaved the safer they would be.
The captain went out to talk with them.
"My men," he said, "you all know what a great crime you have committed. You
are now in the power of the governor of this island. He will send you to England. There
you will be tried, and you will be hanged in chains."
At these words they turned pale and groaned. For they were but young men and
had been led into this by the four or five ruffians who were the ringleaders.
"Now, my men," the captain went on, "you know that I have always been kind to
you."
"Certainly you have," said Tom Smith.
"Aye, aye!" cried all the rest.
"Well, then," said the captain, "it grieves my heart to see you in this hard case.
The ship, as you know, still lies at anchor off the shore. It is still held by some of the
ruffians who brought this trouble upon us. If I should persuade the governor to set you
free, what say you? Would you help me retake the ship?"
Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www
. f ranklang . r u
246
"Aye, aye!" they all cried. "We would stand by you to the end, for we should then
owe our lives, to you."
"Well, then," said the captain, "I will see what I can do. I will go and talk with the
governor."
The matter was soon arranged.
The captain was to choose five of those he thought would be most faithful. These
were to help him retake the ship. But the rest were to stay in prison as hostages.
If the five behaved themselves well, then all were to be set free. If they did not
behave, then all were to be put to death.
These were the governor's orders.
It was then agreed that the captain, with all the men he could trust, should go out
to the ship. I and my man Friday were to stay on shore to watch the prisoners.
The hole in the bottom of the long boat was soon mended. Four men, with the
passenger as their leader, went out in this. The captain, with five men, went out in the
other boat.
It was after midnight when they reached the ship.
The men on board were taken by surprise, for they thought that these were their
friends who were but just then returning to the ship.
They even threw a rope to them and helped them on board, never suspecting that
anything was wrong.
The whole business was managed well. The second mate and the carpenter, who
were among the leaders in the plot, were soon overpowered.
The rebel captain, the worst of the crew, was asleep in his berth. He sprang up and
showed fight. He shot three times at the captain's party, wounding the mate but touching
no one else.
The mate, wounded as he was, raised his musket and fired. The rebel captain fell
to the deck with a bullet through his head.
The rest, seeing that they were without leaders, fell upon their knees and begged
for their lives.
Thus the captain became again the master of his own ship.
Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www
. f ranklang . r u
247
I HAVE A NEW SUIT OF CLOTHES
THE next morning I slept quite late in my hammock (спал до позднего утра в
своем гамаке), for the night had been full of toil (полна тяжелого труда) and I had had
but little rest (имел лишь небольшой отдых).
All at once I was awakened by the sound of a gun (вдруг я был разбужен
звуком ружья).
Then I heard some one calling me, "Governor! Governor!" It was the captain's
voice (голос капитана).
I hurried out (поспешил наружу).
He grasped my hand and pointed to the sea (схватил мою руку и указал на
море). There, a little way from our beach, was the ship.
The weather being fair (погода была хорошей), the men had brought her around
and anchored her near the mouth of the river (поставили корабль на якорь около устья
реки).
"My dear friend," cried the captain, "there is your ship! She is all yours, for we
owe our lives to you (обязаны жизнью вам). We also are yours. Everything on board of
her is yours."
Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www
. f ranklang . r u
248
I was ready to sink down with surprise (был готов упасть: «опуститься вниз»
от удивления).
For here was a large ship, at last, ready to carry me wherever I wished to go
(готовый отвезти меня, куда бы я ни пожелал).
At first I could not answer him (сначала я не мог ответить ему = не находил
сил для ответа).
We stood for some minutes with our arms around each other (обняв друг друга),
and neither of us could speak (никто из нас не мог говорить).
At last I broke out (разразился /плачем/; to break out — вспыхивать,
разражаться /о грозе, огне и т. п./), crying like a child (плача, как ребенок). Then we
rejoiced together (порадовались вместе).
When he had talked awhile (какое-то время), the captain told me that he had
brought me a present (принес мне подарок).
"Bring up the box (ящик, коробку) for the governor!" he cried to his men.
They came up the hill, carrying a wooden chest (неся деревянный ящик). When
it was put down in my castle the captain bade me open it (попросил меня открыть его;
to bid) and help myself to all that was inside it (и воспользоваться всем, что было
внутри него).
I did so.
I found first two pounds of good tobacco (два фунта хорошего табака), then
twelve pieces of beef (12 кусков говядины), six pieces of pork (свинины), a bag of peas
(гороха), a box of sugar, a box of flour (муки), a bag full of lemons (лимонов), and two
bottles of lime juice (две бутылки сока лайма).
But under these was the greatest surprise (самое большое удивление =
сюрприз). There I found six new shirts (рубашек), six neckties (галстуков), two pairs of
gloves (перчаток), a pair of shoes (туфель), a pair of stockings (чулок), a hat, and a very
good suit of clothes (костюм).
I could now dress like a man again (одеться как человек опять).
I went about it at once (принялся за это сразу же). It had been so long since I