There was no time to lose, for when they reached the tree, two of the savages had gone to the white man, and were untying his ankles. The other cannibals were all sitting close together.
Turning to Friday, Robinson said in a low voice, ‘Now do exactly as I tell you.’ They both took aim at the crowd of savages.
‘Are you ready, Friday?’ whispered Robinson.
‘Ready,’ said Friday.
‘Then fire!’
Robinson’s first shot killed one and wounded two, but Friday’s dropped two dead, and three wounded. Snatching up fresh guns, both fired again before the savages who were not hurt could get on their feet, for they were so taken by surprise and frightened by the noise, that the poor wretches hardly knew what was happening. This time only two dropped, but many more were wounded by the swan shot, and ran about yelling till they fell from loss of blood.
‘Now, Friday,’ said Robinson, taking up one of the remaining loaded muskets, ‘follow me.’ And he rushed out of the wood, with Friday close behind, and charged down on the cannibals as fast as he could run.
The two men who had gone to kill the white prisoner no sooner saw this than they fled to the canoes, and three of the others followed, and jumped into the same canoe.
Robinson bade Friday shoot at them, and Friday, running forward, fired. All the men in the canoe fell, two of them dead and one wounded. The others seemed to fall from fear, for they soon jumped up and paddled away with all their might.
