e 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 wher