titious, but he believed, with every one else
in Newport, that the governor had deliberately put an end to his
existence by jumping into the harbor on that stormy night, and his
sudden appearance in that lonely spot was enough to startle him.

"Come ashore, Muley; I want to talk to you."

The voice certainly sounded like Sam Barton's, and Tom, astonished and
perplexed, brought the Mystery up into the wind, and sat gazing at the
bluffs as if he hardly knew whether or not it was safe to venture any
nearer to it.

"Don't you know me, Muley?" asked the boy on shore. "I'm Sam Barton."

"Why, you were drowned," returned Tom.

"Drowned! Not much, I wasn't. I ketched hold of a spar that happened to
be in the water near me, an' here I am all right."

Tom, being now convinced that the boy on shore was really the long-lost
governor of the Crusoe band, filled away, and, when the Mystery had
approached within a few feet of the rock, Sam said:

"Now, Muley, you're close enough. I want to ask you one question before
you come ashore. Have you gone back on me?"

"No, I haven't," replied Tom, who had already told himself that the
meeting with Sam was most fortunate, and that, with his assistance, his
new idea could be successfully carried out, "but I have a small account
against you. You made me captain of the yacht, without my asking you for
the position, and then refused to obey my orders, and broke me without
one word of excuse or apology. I didn't like that very well, but as our
expedition proved a failure, I don't care so much about it. What are you
doing, governor? and how came you here?"

"Are you sure you won't tell any body in the village that you saw me?"
demanded Sam. "You see, I am afraid of Bobby Jennings and Mr. Grimes,
an' I don't care about tellin' you too much till I know how fur you can
be trusted."

"I won't say a word to any body--honor bright," replied Tom.

"Wall, then, come ashore, and let me get into your boat, an' I'll show
you where I live."

Tom complied with the request; and the governor, after shaking him
cordially by the hand, and compelling him to promise, over and over
again, that he would keep every thing that passed between them a
profound secret, seated himself at the helm, and turned the Mystery's
head down the shore. The wind was blowing briskly; and at the end of the
promontory was a chain of sunken rocks, that extended a considerable
distance below the foot of the island, and over whic