Friday had not been long gone when he came running back, and flew over my outer wall or fence, like one that felt not the ground or the steps he set his foot on; and before I had time to speak to him he cries out to me, "O master! O master! O sorrow! O bad!"-- "What's the matter, Friday ?" says I.

"O yonder there," says he, "one, two, three canoes; one, two, three!" By this way of speaking I concluded there were six; but on inquiry I found there were but three.

"Well, Friday," says I, "do not be frightened." So I heartened him up as well as I could.
However, I saw the poor fellow was most terribly scared, for nothing ran in his head but that they were come to look for him, and would cut him in pieces and eat him; and the poor fellow trembled so that I scarcely knew what to do with him.

I comforted him as well as I could, and told him I was in as much danger as he, and that they would eat me as well as him.
"But," says I, "Friday, we must resolve to fight them.

Can you fight, Friday ?" "Me shoot," says he, "but there come many great number." "No matter for that," said I again; "our guns will fright them that we do not kill." So I asked him whether, if I resolved to defend him, he would defend me, and stand by me, and do just as I bid him.