SECURING THE PRISONERS, 816

into your hands; for, depend upon it, every man of them that
comes ashore are our own, and shall die or live as they behave
to us.”

As I spoke this with a raised voice and cheerful countenance, 1
found it greatly encouraged him; so we set vigorously to our
business. We had upon the first appearance of the boat’s coming
from the ship considered of separating our prisoners, and had
indeed secured them effectually.

Two of them, of whom the captain was less assured than ordi-
nary, [ sent with Friday, and one of the three (delivered men) to
my cave, where they were remote enough, and out of danger of
being heard or discovered, or of finding their way out of the woods
if they could have delivered themselves. Here they left them
bound, but gave them provisions, and promised them if they con-
tinued there quietly, to give them their liberty in a day or two;
but if they attempted their escape, they should be put to death
without mercy. They promised faithfully to bear their confine-
ment with patience, and were very thankful that they had such
good usage as to have provisions and a light left them; for Friday
gave them candles (such as we made ourselves) for their comfort ;
and they did not know but that he stood sentinel over them at
the entrance.

The other prisoners had better usage. Two of them were kept
pinioned indeed, because the captain was not free to trust them,
but the other two were taken into my service upon their captain’s
recommendation, and upon their solemnly engaging to live and
die with us. So with them and the three honest men, we were
seven men, well armed; and I made no doubt we should be able
to deal well enough with the ten that were a-coming, considering
that the captain had said there were three or four honest men
among them also.

As soon as they got to the place where their other boat lay,
they ran their boat into the beach, and came all on shore, hauling
the boat up after them; which I was glad to see, for I was afraid
they would rather have left the boat at an anchor some distance
from the shore, with some hands in her to guard her, and so we
should not be able to seize the boat.