clothes, strong muscles, and reckless bravery go
together sometimes; and that the crew of the jolly-boat, although they
were young gentlemen, were antagonists not to be despised. The governor
stood for a moment, looking over the rail and watching the fight that
was going on in the water--for Tom still kept up a furious
resistance--and then called out:

"Xury, go to the wheel an' throw the schooner up into the wind; an' the
rest of us man the skiff. Let go Tommy's collar, spooney, or I'll chuck
this handspike at you!"

"Help! help!" roared Tom, who was being pulled through the water toward
the jolly-boat. "Release me at once, Dave Richardson! Hit him, Sam."

The chief made a desperate effort to strike the young officer, but the
latter was just out of reach. Then Sam raised the handspike, and was
about to throw it at the midshipman, but lowered it again, when he took
a second look, and saw that he was likely to hit one as the other. He
hurried off to assist his men who were hauling the skiff alongside, and
then began a most exciting contest for the possession of the prisoner.
Richardson's object was to escape with him, and the governor's to rescue
him. The officer and one of his men held fast to Tom, and Simmonds, who
was an excellent swimmer, struck out for the jolly-boat, hoping to
return with her and pick up his companions before the Crusoe band could
man the skiff. The governor saw and understood the move, and resolved to
defeat it. If the students succeeded in getting Tom into their boat,
Sam's chances for recovering his man would be very slim indeed. "Hurry,
fellers!" he exclaimed, excitedly. "Can't you see what them spooneys are
up to? Man the oars, Will Atkins an' Jack Spaniard," he added, as his
crew sprang into the skiff, "an' give way fur dear life."

Just as the skiff was shoved off from the schooner, Simmonds climbed
into the jolly-boat, and catching up the oars, pulled swiftly to the
assistance of his companions. He was nearer to them than the Crusoe men,
but Atkins and Jack Spaniard were good oarsmen, and they came out ahead
in the race. "Keep away from here, spooney!" exclaimed Friday, shaking
his boat-hook at Simmonds, as the skiff dashed up to the struggling
captain of the Crusoe band, "'taint safe to come no nearer."

"Now, then," cried the chief, seizing the midshipman by the collar, and
plunging his head under the water, "I reckon you'll turn Tommy loose,
won't you?"

The students, knowing that