is prisoner here
his father will begin searching for him in the morning, and he will be
certain to discover our hiding-place sooner or later. If we release him,
he will go home and return immediately with help enough to capture us
all."

"Well, that might not be as easy a job as you think fur," replied the
governor. "If we are sharp, we can hold our own here against a dozen
fellers, for a day or two. But we don't want to fight. We want to get
away from here as easy as we can. Atkins, what have you and Jack
Spaniard got to say about it? Are you waitin' fur a chance to get up
another mutiny?"

"No, governor, I aint," replied the chief conspirator, quickly. "I'll
never do it again."

"Nor me, neither," said Jack Spaniard. "There's my hand on it--honor
bright."

"Of course I can't put as much faith in you as I did before," said the
chief, as he shook hands with the mutineers. "After a man has fooled me
once, I never like to trust him any more till he proves that he is all
right."

"Just tell us what you want done, governor," said Atkins, "an' if we
don't do it you needn't never believe us ag'in."

"Well, mebbe I shall have a chance to try you before mornin'. You've got
to stick to us now or be taken before the 'squire. If you should go back
to Newport an' begin ferryin' ag'in, that farmer's boy would come
across you some time, and then where would you be? We can't none of us
go back to the village, an' we can't live here, neither, so we must
start for our island at once--this very night. If we stay till mornin'
that farmer an all his men will be down here lookin' fur Jed; and if
they once discover us, an' get us surrounded, we're done fur. Cap'n,
stand by to get that yawl under way, an' the rest of us turn to an' pack
the outfit."

The Crusoe men obeyed these orders without making any comments upon
them. They had often discussed this very move. They had talked about it
bravely enough, and had even expressed their impatience at being obliged
to remain so long inactive, but, now that the time had arrived, and they
had heard the order given to break up their camp, more than half of them
felt like backing out. They knew that they were about to encounter the
real dangers that lay in their path, and which they had thus far viewed
at a distance. The Sweepstakes must be captured, the provisions secured,
and they must assist Tom in destroying the yacht. It was no wonder that
they looked into the future with doubtful eyes.