We had nothing now to do but to watch for them in the dark, and to fall upon them so as to make sure work with them. It was past midnight before the lucky four came back to their boat, having escap'd the shadow'd valley. We could hear Slaader, the foremost of them, long before they came quite up, calling to those behind to come along. We could also hear them answer and complain how tired they were and not able to come any faster, and in their voices was a tremble of fear. At length they came up to the boat, but it is impossible to express their confusion when they found the boat fast aground in the creek, the tyde ebbed out, and their two men gone. We could hear them call to one another in a most lamentable manner, telling one another they were got into an enchanted island. Either there were inhabitants in it, and they should all be murdered, or else there were devils and spirits in it, and they should be all carried away and devoured. My man Friday and I did take pleasure at such words, and shared a smile. The mutineers hallooed again, and called their two comrades by their names a great many times, but no answer.
After some time, we could see them, by the little light there was, run about, wringing their hands like men in despair. Sometimes they would go and sit down in the boat to rest themselves, then come ashore again and walk about again and so the same thing over again. My men would fain have had me give them leave to fall upon them at once in the dark. I was willing to take them at some advantage, so to spare them, and kill as few of them as I could. I was unwilling to hazard the killing any of our men, knowing the others were very well armed. I resolv’d to wait to see if they did not separate. To make sure of them, I drew my ambuscade nearer and ordered Friday and Burke to creep upon their hands and feet, as close to the ground as they could that they might not be discovered, and get as near them as they could before they offered to fire.
They had not been long in that posture when the piratical boatswain, Slaader, came walking towards them with two more of the crew. Burke was so eager at having this rogue so much in his power he could hardly have patience to let him come so near as to be sure of him. When they came nearer, the captain and Friday let fly at them. Slaader was killed upon the spot. The next man was shot in the body and fell just by him, tho’ he did not die till an hour or two after. The third run for it.
At the noise of the fire, I advanced with my whole army, which was now eight men. We came upon them in the dark so they could not see our number. I made the man they had left in the boat, who was now one of us, to call them by name, to try if I could bring them to a parley. So he called out as loud as he could, to one of them, "Tom Smith! Tom Smith!"
Tom Smith answered, "Is that Roberts?" For it seemed he knew the voice.
The other answered, "Aye aye. For God's sake, Tom Smith, throw down your arms and yield, or you are dead men this moment."
"Who must we yield to? Where are they?" said Smith again.
"Here they are," said he. "Captain Burke, and fifty men with him, have been hunting you these two hours. Slaader is killed, Will Fry is wounded, and I am a prisoner. If you do not yield, you are all lost."
"Will they give us quarter then?" said Smith.
"I'll go and ask, if you promise to yield," said Roberts.
Burke himself then called out, "You, Smith, you know my voice. If you lay down your arms immediately, and submit, you shall have your lives, but not Will Atkins."
Upon this Atkins cried out, "For God's sake, captain, give me quarter! What have I done? They have all been as bad as I!" Which was not true neither, for this Atkins was all but a pirate himself, and the first man that laid hold of the captain when they mutinied and used him barbarously. However, the captain told him he must lay down his arms at discretion and trust to the governor's mercy. For they all called me governor.
In a word, they both laid down their arms and begged their lives. I sent the man that had parleyed with them, and two more, who bound them. Then my great army came up and seized upon them and upon their boat.
Our next work was to repair the first boat and think of seizing the ship. As for Burke, now he had leisure to parley with them, he expostulated with them upon the villainy of their practices with him, and how it must bring them to the gallows.