his
hands in his pockets, and his eyes fastened on the rock at the opposite
side of the shoals. He never moved a muscle when a huge wave carried the
schooner almost over the ledge, and, when the order was given to haul in
the sheets, he repeated it with as much calmness as he would have
exhibited had the Sweepstakes been in smooth water, and running before a
favorable breeze. The passage was safely accomplished, much to the
relief of every one on board; and again the Crusoe men told themselves
that they had dared the fury of the shoals for the last time. Where was
the Storm King all this while? She was still lying at the upper end of
the breakers, waiting for the Sweepstakes. Her commander did not know
there were two channels that led across the shoals.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE ROBBERS ARE PUNISHED.

To say that Tom Newcombe was delighted to find himself once more out of
the cove and safely across the shoals, would but feebly express his
feelings. He had never expected to see the bay again except as a
prisoner. While he was in the cove and besieged by the students, he
would willingly have disposed of his interest in the Crusoe band, and
freely surrendered his share of the passage money, if he could have
wiped out the record of that night. He had not seen a single hour's
peace since he joined Sam Barton's society. He had constantly been in
some trouble or other. It would have been well enough with him, he
thought, if the governor had not turned up again--Tom had a great habit
of laying the responsibility of his misdeeds upon other shoulders than
his own--and he had more than once wished that the spar which had
brought Sam into the harbor had drifted the other way, and carried him
out to sea, and that he had been picked up by some vessel and taken to
China or some other remote quarter of the globe. In short, when the
captain of the Crusoe band found that his voyage was in danger of being
brought to a speedy termination, he had been very hard on the governor,
and had felt disposed to look on the dark side of things; but now that
he was once more bounding over the waves of the bay before a fine
breeze, and with not a tug or sailing vessel in sight, his spirits rose
again. He was once more ready to believe that the expedition might prove
successful. After bringing himself safely out of all the difficulties he
had been in that night, it would be singular indeed if he could not find
some way to overcome the obstacles ye