the wheel, Tom
and the governor were standing at the head of the companion-ladder, the
rest of the Crusoe men were gathered on the forecastle, and the robbers
were leaning over the rail in the waist, looking down into the water,
and conversing in low tones. The governor had been so busy since they
came on board the schooner that he had scarcely spoken to them, but now
he left Tom (who had again fallen into one of his meditative moods) to
scrape an acquaintance with them. The burglars were so deeply engrossed
in discussing their affairs that they did not hear the sound of Sam's
footsteps, and he approached within a few feet of them without being
discovered. So close was he to them, indeed, that he could catch every
word of their conversation. He had not thought of playing the part of
eaves-dropper, but he found that they were talking about the thousand
dollars they had promised to pay the Crusoe men for taking them to sea,
and something that was said brought Sam to a stand-still.

"You were not in earnest when you made that offer, were you?" he heard
one of the robbers ask.

"Yes, I was. I thought there were some men in the party, and that we
could afford to pay them well for passage on board their vessel; but I
see they are all boys, and we can give them the money or not, just as we
please."

"It would be a foolish piece of business to throw away a thousand
dollars, after coming so far, and working so hard for it."

"I know that, and I don't intend to do it. They seem to understand
managing a vessel pretty well, and they may succeed in taking us to a
place of safety. If they do, we'll step ashore and let them whistle for
their money."

"But won't they make a fuss?"

"Who cares if they do? Haven't we both got revolvers?"

"Well, now, if this yere don't beat all the world," soliloquized the
governor, who could scarcely believe that he had heard aright. He stood
for a moment as motionless as if he had been nailed to the deck, looking
the very picture of astonishment and alarm; then he shook his head
threateningly, moved quietly across to the other side, and settled into
a comfortable position, to think the matter over.

Since the robbers made him that offer, the thousand dollars had never
once been out of his mind. In his eyes it was an immense fortune, and he
would have been willing to do almost any thing in his power to obtain
possession of it. He already regarded the money as his own, and he had
laid his plan