ore anxious to regain his liberty, and
continue the pursuit of the burglars. He did not doubt that the students
would capture them, and, as that would be a big feather in their caps,
Johnny wanted to assist in the work, in order that he also might enjoy
the honors of the exploit.

Josh and Bill were gone fully half an hour, and during every moment of
that time Johnny's impatience increased, until at last it seemed to him
that he could not possibly endure his captivity an instant longer. Of
course he tried hard to free himself, but his captors, remembering the
prisoners who had escaped from the cellar, had taken especial pains to
make his bonds secure, and Johnny finally abandoned his attempts in
despair, and awaited his release with all the fortitude he could
command. At last, to his immense relief, he heard footsteps on the
porch, and after a few minutes' delay Josh and Bill came up the stairs,
accompanied by Jed. They all seemed to be very angry about something,
and if Johnny had known what Jed had experienced at the hands of the
Crusoe men, he would not have been at all surprised thereat. When Jed's
eyes rested on the prisoner, his countenance fell, and he seemed to be
very much disappointed. He took the candle from Bill's hand, held it
close to Johnny's face, examined his clothing, and finally shook his
head. "You'll know me the next time you see me, won't you?" asked
Johnny.

"Yes, and I would know you now, if I had ever seen you before. He don't
belong to the crowd," he added, turning to his brothers. "I took a good
look at every one of them, and I can't be mistaken. You had better let
him go."

"I think so too," said the prisoner.

"It's lucky for you that you aint one of the robbers," continued Jed,
shaking his head in a threatening manner, "for I had made up my mind to
give you a good drubbing. Let's return to the cove and watch for them.
Perhaps they will come back."

"Do you mean the Crusoe men?" asked Johnny. "I know they will come back.
They are blockaded, and they can't get out of the bay."

Josh and Bill were quite ready to go back to the cove, but they were not
willing to release their captive. They could not be made to believe that
he was not in some way connected with those who had plundered their
potato-patch, and Johnny began to think them the most unreasonable men
he had seen for many a day. There was Jed, who had had some adventure
with the Crusoe men, and who repeatedly affirmed that he had