I asked him if he was willing to venture with these hands on board the ship. As for me and my man Friday, I did not think it was proper for us to stir, having seven men left behind. It was employment enough for us to keep them asunder and supply them with victuals.
As to the five in the cave, I resolv’d to keep them fast, but Friday went in twice a day to them, to supply them with necessaries. I made the other two carry provisions to a certain distance, where Friday was to take it.
When I show'd myself to the two hostages, it was with Burke, who told them I was the person the governor had ordered to look after them. It was the governor's pleasure they should not stir any where but by my direction. If they did, they would be fetch’d into the castle and be laid in irons, or, far worse, set free in the wood to be hunted by the beast of the island. I now appeared as another person and spoke of the governor, the garrison, the castle, and the like, upon all occasions.
Burke now had no difficulty before him but to furnish his two boats, stop the breach of one, and man them. He made young Sir Wade captain of one, with four of the men. Himself, Turner, and five more, went in the other. They contrived their business very well, for they came up to the ship about midnight. As soon as they came within call of the ship, he made Roberts hail the mutineers and tell them they had brought off the men and the boat, holding them in a chat till they came to the ship's side. Burke and Turner, entering first, knock'd down the second mate and carpenter with the butt end of their muskets, being seconded by their men.
They secured all the rest that were upon the mainland quarterdecks, and began to fasten the hatches to keep them down that were below. The other boat and their men, entering at the fore-chains, secured the forecastle of the ship, and the scuttle which went down into the cook-room, making three men they found there prisoners. When this was done, and all safe upon deck, Burke ordered the mate, with three men, to break into the round-house, where the mutineer captain, Doyle, lay.
Having taken the alarm, Doyle had got up and, with two men and a boy, had got fire-arms in their hands. When Turner split open the door with a crow, the false captain and his men fired boldly among them. They wounded the mate with a musket ball, which broke his arm, and wounded two more of the men, but killed nobody.
Turner, calling for help, rush'd into the round-house, wounded as he was, and with his pistol shot Doyle thru the head, so he never spoke a word more. Upon which the rest yielded, and the ship was taken without any more lives lost.
As soon as the ship was thus secured, Captain Burke ordered seven guns to be fired, which was the signal agreed upon with me to give me notice of his success, which you may be sure I was very glad to hear. Having thus heard the signal, I did head away from the shore to my castle for sleep, it having been a day of great fatigue to me. Yet I had not cover'd half the distance when one stepped from the trees to confront me with a drawn broad sword, or cutlass, and made me set my hand upon my own.
At first, I bethought myself this was one of the four pirates lost in the shadow'd valley. And then the quarter moon did come from behind a cloud and cast some light upon the shore, and I saw the Moor Slaader before me. An awful wound marr'd his features, and show'd the skull and teeth below his flesh, for Burke's weapon had ruin'd much of his face. Indeed, it had kill'd him, of this I would be sure even if the beast did not assure me of it from beneath my skin with furious snarls. Yet before me he stood, and many of the dark symbols ink'd in his skin did burn and gleam like lamp light.
"Robin Crusoe," said Slaader, and his voice was that of the grave, "there you are." His brow did wrinkle in anger, tho' he was beyond all such feeling, and he point'd a stern finger at me. "You shall not leave, Robin Crusoe! Your soul will feed the Great Dreamer! You shall not leave!!"
At this he lunged at me with his cutlass. I drew my own sword and leapt aside. The boatswain follow'd, swinging his great weapon. The blades met, but I was no swords man, and Slaader had a furious strength upon him. Our swords met twice, high and low, and twice again, side to side, and then the pirate knock'd my blade from my hand and it flew far from my grasp. Now from his mouth came the words, the awful words of Poll and the savages and Walla-Kay, Friday's father. The dark prayers of Kathooloo. The ink of his skin did flicker and flare with his words, like a lantern being brush'd with a breeze.
Within my skin the beast did howl for freedom, for the words of Slaader anger'd it, as the like words of Poll had years and years ago, as I have said.