A STRANGE ENCOUNTER.
The last time we saw the Crusoe men they were rowing up the harbor
toward the place where the Sweepstakes lay at her anchorage. They
expected to secure possession of her without any difficulty, and to take
her down the harbor, through the shipping that lay at the wharves,
without attracting attention. 'Squire Thompson never left a watch on
board the schooner, and it was not likely that any body's suspicions
would be aroused by so common an occurrence as a vessel passing out of
the harbor at midnight. This part of the undertaking did not trouble the
governor, but his heart beat a trifle faster than usual whenever he
thought of the provisions.
The Crusoe men pulled up the harbor as though they had a perfect right
to be there. They did not attempt to move quietly, for that alone would
have been sufficient to excite the curiosity of the watch on some of the
vessels at the wharves, who might feel themselves called upon to follow
their movements, and that, to say the least, would be very inconvenient.
The governor did not want to answer any questions, and he knew that the
only way to avoid suspicion was to go about his work boldly. He kept the
skiff headed up the harbor until he passed the Sweepstakes, which lay at
her usual moorings. As he went by he examined the vessel closely, and
was delighted to see that she was deserted.
"Fellers," said he, suddenly, "wouldn't we have been in a fix if 'Squire
Thompson had taken it into his head this afternoon to go off on one of
his fishing excursions? What would we have done? Luck is on our side,
howsomever, an' we are all right. The schooner is our'n, an' 'Squire
Thompson has put his eyes on her for the last time. Cap'n, you will take
command, an' get the vessel down to the end of the pier as soon as
possible. Don't try to be too still while you are gettin' under way,
fur, if you do, the fellers who see us will know that we are doin'
something we haint got no business to do."
As the governor said this he turned the skiff down the harbor again, and
when they reached the schooner, Friday made the painter fast, and the
Crusoe men clambered over the rail. Tom was once more captain of a
vessel.
"Mr. Mate," said he, as soon as his feet touched the deck, "get under
way immediately."
"Will Atkins," said Xury, "drop that skiff astern, an' the rest of us
stand by to hist the canvas."
Tom was about to attempt something he had never had the courage to try
before, and that was, to take a vessel down the harbor under sail. For a
wonder, he had no misgivings. The wind, although strong, was fair, and
as the captain thought it very probable that he might be called upon to
navigate the schooner through some difficult places before their cruise
was ended, he concluded that it was best to begin practicing at once. He
lent a hand in hoisting the sails, and, when every thing was ready for
the start, he sent Xury to the wheel, and slipped the chain himself. He
did not like the idea of starting on a long voyage without an anchor,
but it would have been a quarter of an hour's work to raise it, and Tom
was anxious to leave the village with the least possible delay. As long
as he remained there he was in danger.
The mate did not labor under as many disadvantages now as he did when he
piloted the yacht down the harbor on that stormy night. He did not have
the gale to contend with, and he could see where he was going. He took
the schooner through the shipping without the least difficulty, and
rounded to at the end of the pier. Tom superintended the execution of
this maneuver himself, and, somewhat to his surprise, made an excellent
landing. He brought the Sweepstakes alongside the pier so gently, that
the concussion would not have broken an egg-shell. That was something
worth boasting of, and Tom, encouraged at his success, began to believe
that he was "cut out" expressly for a sea captain.
"Now comes the worst part of the business," said the governor, when Tom
had got out a head-line and made the schooner fast to the pier. "What
are you goin' to do while we are gone, cap'n?"
"I'll stay here and watch the vessel," replied Tom. "I told you I
wouldn't have a hand in stealing the provisions."
"Somebody must do it," said the chief. "We can't go to sea without
grub."
"But how are you going to get into the store?"
"Do you see this yere?" answered the governor, showing an auger he
carried in his hand. "The door that opens into the alley that runs
between the store an' your father's elevator is fastened with a hook.
We'll bore two or three holes through the door, an' then I'll put in my
hand an' lift up that hook. It's just as easy as fallin' off a log."
"Look out for my father's night watchman," said Tom. "He's always got
his eyes open, and if he catches you prowling about that passage-way
he'll bring our cruise to an end in a hurry."
The governor had thought of that watchman more than once, and he was
afraid of him. He would have breathed a good deal easier had he known
that there was no danger to be apprehended from him, and that two other
obstacles had also been removed from his path. The watchman was at that
moment lying behind the elevator, bound hand and foot; the door which
led into the store from the passage-way had already been opened in
precisely the same way that the governor intended to open it, and Johnny
Harding was powerless to resist them, or to give the alarm. But the
Crusoe men did not know this, and more than one of them would have been
glad of some excuse for declining to assist in so hazardous an
enterprise.
"Now, fellers," said the chief, "if there are any cowards in this yere
band, I want to know it before we go any farther. If there are any among
you who aint willin' to promise to stand by me to the last, let them
step out on one side, so that I can have a look at 'em."
The governor paused, but none of the band moved.
"I am glad to see that you are all brave men," continued Sam. "If any
one of you tries to shirk his duty when it comes to the pinch, we'll
throw him over; he sha'n't go on this expedition. Now let's make a
break, fur the quicker we get to work the sooner we'll get done. Friday,
shoulder one of them handspikes an' stand by to use it on Johnny Harding
if he makes a fuss."
"And, Friday," chimed in Tom, "if you do hit him, hit him hard. That boy
has nearly bothered the life out of me."
The governor and his companions clambered over the rail and disappeared
from the view of Tom Newcombe, who paced impatiently up and down the
wharf, now and then stopping to survey his vessel, and wishing that he
could look far enough into the future to see what part she was destined
to play in the Crusoe drama. If they were pursued, was she fleet enough
to carry them out of harm's way? Would she take them safely to their
island, or would she be capsized and sunk before she got out of
Buzzard's Bay? Tom did not bother his head much about these questions,
for he knew that the little schooner was staunch and swift, and, as he
began to have great confidence in his abilities as a navigator and
seaman, he was sure that he could bring her safely out of any danger
that might befall her. On the subject of destroying the Storm King,
however, he debated long and earnestly. He began to see that there was
danger in it. The students were alert and watchful, and if they caught
him on board the vessel with matches and a bottle of coal-oil in his
pocket, what would they do to him? Tom trembled a little as he asked
himself this question, but he never once thought of giving up his
"splendid idea." He only wished that the work was done, and that he was
well out to sea with the Sweepstakes. Meanwhile, the governor and his
men moved cautiously along the wharf toward Mr. Henry's store. They
walked around the elevator without seeing any signs of the watchman, and
were about to enter the passage when Sam, who was leading the way,
suddenly stopped.
"What was that noise?" he asked, turning to his companions. "Didn't you
hear something drop in the store?"
"I heard it thunder," replied Jack Spaniard.
"So did I," said Xury.
"That wasn't thunder," returned the chief. "It was some other kind of
noise; an' I am sure it was in the store. Mebbe Harding is movin' around
in there. You stay here, an' I'll go to the door an' listen."
The Crusoe men concealed themselves behind the elevator, and the
governor moved up the passage-way, holding in his hand a bag which he
had brought to carry away his share of the provisions, and which he
also intended to use in conquering Johnny Harding, if the opportunity
presented itself. If the clerk was awake, and should happen to come to
the door, he would throw the bag over his head, and hold him fast until
his men could come to his assistance. He approached the door very
cautiously, and when he reached it, he stopped and looked at it in
astonishment. A hole had been cut in it over the lock, and the door was
ajar. Sam thought he must be dreaming. He looked around him to make sure
that no one was observing his movements, and then placed his hand
against the door, which yielded to his touch.
"Well, now, if this yere don't beat all the world," said the governor to
himself. "Is there another Crusoe band in the village, I wonder?"
"Look here, partner," whispered a voice close at his elbow, "this is our
job. You're about a quarter of an hour too late."
Sam turned and saw a man, who was muffed up to the eyes, standing beside
him. His heart fairly came up into his mouth. He was as frightened as a
boy could be, and he would have yelled and taken to his heels, but he
seemed to have lost all control over himself. He stood like one
petrified. To save his life he could not utter a sound, neither could he
move hand or foot. He was caught, he could see that plainly; and now
would come the punishment.
"How do you happen to know any thing about it?" whispered the man.
"About what?" Sam almost gasped, recovering the use of his tongue after
a desperate effort.
"About the money," was the reply. "We followed him all the way from
Boston."
"Follered who?"
"Why, Mr. Henry; the brother of the man who owns this store. He had five
thousand dollars with him. We have done all the work, but, since you are
here, I suppose we must divide with you."
"Divide what?" asked the governor, utterly unable to understand what the
man was trying to get at, and astonished that he did not put a pair of
hand-cuffs upon him at once.
"O, divide what!" repeated the burglar, impatiently. "Why, the money, of
course--the five thousand dollars. What else did you come here for?"
"Me! I come here for grub, me an' my men. We don't know nothin' about no
five thousand dollars."
At this moment the other robber came up, and the first words he spoke
indicated that he was not at all pleased to see Sam. "We always have
hard luck," said he. "This is the third time we've had to divide with
fellows who didn't help us do the work. How many are there in your
crowd?"
"Six," replied the governor. He had by this time partially recovered his
wits, and began to understand the matter. There was money in the safe,
these men had come after it, and, believing him to be a robber like
themselves, they were grumbling because they were afraid they would be
obliged to share the spoils with him. Sam did not want the money, but he
did want provisions; and he was convinced, now, that the burglars would
not stand in his way. "There are five of us here, an' one more down to
the boat," added the chief.
"But he says he don't know any thing about the money," observed the
robber, who had first spoken to Sam. "He is here after something to eat.
What are you going to do when you get your provisions?"
"We're going to sea."
"Are you? Have you got a vessel?"
"Sartinly, we have. How could we go to sea without a vessel?"
"That's lucky. Now I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll give you a
thousand dollars, if you will take us with you."
The governor caught his breath as if some one had suddenly dashed a
bucket of ice-water over him. A thousand dollars! Wasn't he in luck for
once in his life? What a multitude of comforts and luxuries that would
buy for the Crusoe band! They could stop at some town during their
cruise, and purchase every thing they needed to complete their outfit.
"But, perhaps, you don't want to go where we are going," said Sam.
"We don't care where you are bound. So long as you are going to sea,
that's enough for us. We want to get as far away from this place as
possible. What do you say? We're in a hurry."
"I say it is a bargain," replied the governor.
"All right. We'll go in now and get our money, and you can help
yourselves to the provisions. Where are your partners? Let's have a look
at them."
Sam, almost beside himself with joy at this unexpected freak of fortune,
hurried off to find his companions. In a few excited words he explained
to them what had happened, and so astonished and bewildered were the
Crusoe men, that for a moment they had nothing to say. They had never
heard of such a thing before, and some of them were afraid to trust the
robbers.
"Mebbe they're just foolin' us," said Jack Spaniard; "an' when they get
us into the store, they'll arrest the whole kit an' bilin' of us."
"Arrest us!" sneered Sam. "They aint constables, I tell you; they're
burglars. Didn't they cut that hole through the door, an' don't they say
that they're after the money that's in the safe? We don't want to lose
the chance of makin' a thousand dollars if we can help it. Just think of
the grub an' things it will buy!"
The governor had considerable difficulty in convincing his men that it
was "all right," but he did succeed at last, and induced them to follow
him to the door where he had left the robbers. The latter peered into
their faces as they came up, and, after satisfying themselves that the
coast was clear, led the way into the store. When the lantern was turned
up, Sam and his men looked at the burglars, and the burglars looked at
them. The result of the examination appeared to be satisfactory on both
sides, for the robbers resumed their work on the safe, while the Crusoe
men, now feeling perfectly at their ease, gazed about the store. They
looked at the shattered safe, at Johnny Harding, who lay a prisoner on
his bed, and watched with greedy eyes the packages of greenbacks which
the burglars took from the strong box, and stowed away in a valise.
"Where's our thousand dollars?" asked the governor, at length. "If you
want to go to sea with us, you had better pay us in advance."
"Now, don't you be in a hurry," was the gruff reply. "When you have
taken us safely out of sight of Newport, you shall have your money, and
not before. You'd better get to work, there. We've wasted time enough
already."
This aroused the Crusoe men, and they began to bestir themselves. They
appropriated to their own use a pile of bags which Xury found behind the
counter, and, by the time the robbers had finished overhauling the
contents of the safe, they had collected a large supply of provisions,
consisting of hams, crackers, codfish, cheese, coffee, and sugar. Johnny
watched all their movements, and before he had quite made up his mind
whether the scene transpiring before him was a dream or a reality, the
robbers had finished their work and gone out, leaving the store in total
darkness.