uld have danced for
joy. Johnny was not one who made loud boasts of what he intended to do.
He possessed quite as much courage as the majority of his fellows, but
he did not deny that he was afraid of the robbers. He even confessed
that if he should overtake them he would be at a loss to know how to
recover the money. But there was no one in the Crusoe band that he was
afraid of, and if he had known that his employer's property was in
possession of the governor, he would have been certain of success.

"We're even with them fellers now," said the chief, as he and his men
concealed themselves in a thicket of bushes, from which they could watch
the schooner without being observed themselves. "We'll larn 'em how to
swindle us. Five thousand dollars! That's a heap of money, aint it,
fellers?"

(The Crusoe men did not know how much money they had in their
possession. Sanders had told them that there were five thousand dollars
in the safe, and they imagined that was the amount in the valise. Had
they known that it was more than seven thousand dollars, their
excitement, which was already intense, would have known no bounds.)

"I 'most wish we had let it be," continued the governor, who became
frightened when he fully realized what he had done. "Let's hide it
somewhere."

"What for?" demanded the skipper.

"Why, 'cause. We can't never use it all, an' s'pose we should be
ketched."

"O, now, we are not going to be caught," replied Tom, impatiently. "The
tugs will never come in here after us, for it is too near the village.
Every body will think that we have kept on out to sea. Our prospects
were never brighter than they are at this moment. I am just as certain
that we shall see the island as I am that my clothes are wringing wet
from my swim across the creek. We need a better outfit, and how are we
going to get it with no funds in the treasury? We've got the money now,
and we might as well use it. We have as much right to it as those
robbers."

"That's what I say," said Atkins. "I am treasurer of the band, so I'll
take charge of the cash. Just pass the valise over this way, governor."

"Now, you hold your breath till I give you the valise, won't you?" said
the chief. "If you are treasurer, I'm governor, an' I won't ask nobody
to help me take care of this money. I'll just hang on to it myself."

Atkins had been in excellent spirits during the last few minutes, but
now he resumed his usual scowl, and looked as sullen and