28 Mutiny and Freedom

CHAPTER 28 Mutiny and Freedom The rains stopped, just as they had done for many seasons. Friday and I started to prepare in earnest for our trip. We took good care with the harvest, and started organizing all of our supplies. The only thing left to do was make sure we had enough food. "Friday?" I asked. "Would you mind hiking down to the summer house and gathering up

some raisins for us?" "Not at all," he replied. "I'll go right now." An hour had barely passed when I heard him running up the path screaming, "Robinson! Robinson, come quickly. There's a boat out here! A boat!" I grabbed two guns on my way out the door and tossed one to Friday. We sped off to the lookout hill. We both hid quietly and watched as an English ship sailed toward the island. "What do you think they are doing?" Friday whispered. "I don't know," I replied. "But it can't be anything good. This isn't a regular trade route—I haven't seen an English ship in almost thirty years." The ship set down its anchor just off the beach. A group of rough, angry men dragged three prisoners off the boat and on to the shore. They had both their hands and feet

bound. Then, the wicked men left these poor fellows in the hot sun with no food or water as they went off to explore the island. I motioned for Friday to follow me. We crept slowly down the path to the beach. When I was sure there was no one around, I snuck up to the men and asked them who they were and why they had come to the island. They were very confused at first and didn't answer me at all. I must have looked like quite a sight to them—a wild and crazy man appearing out of nowhere! "I won't hurt you," I said. "I'm here to help." I called for Friday to come out and he cut their binds with his knife. As they were being freed, one of the men explained, "I am the captain of this great ship. There was a mutiny on board. The crew decided to sail off course and that's how we landed here." "Come quickly," I said to them. "We need

to get you three out of here before they get back." "I'm Captain Walsh, by the way. These two men are my first-mates, Morgan and Pace." "I'm Robinson Crusoe, and this is Friday."