ead 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