t do you think of it?" asked the governor, when his
visitor had examined every thing to his satisfaction. "I'm livin' Crusoe
life now, aint I? I'd like it a heap better than ferryin', if I only had
something besides fish and water-melons to eat."

"Water-melons!" repeated Tom: "where do you get them?"

"O, I hooks 'em. There's plenty on the island, an' I was just goin' out
after some when I saw you. I've got one left, an' it's in the spring,
behind the cabin, coolin' off."

"How did you get out without your boat?" asked Tom, looking up at the
overhanging cliffs. "You can't climb those rocks."

"You couldn't, but I can, 'cause I know where the path is. You see, I am
an old fox, an' I've got two holes to my burrow. If Mr. Grimes an' Bobby
Jennings find out where I am, an' come here with a boat to ketch me,
they'll see me goin' up them rocks like a goat; an' if they come down
the path--which they aint no ways likely to do--I'll take to my boat.
Come with me now, Muley, an' I'll show you something."

Tom followed the governor around the cabin, past the spring in which
was the water-melon Sam had spoken of, and which he said they would eat
when they came down, and presently found himself standing at the foot of
a narrow, winding fissure, that led to the top of the cliff. This was
one of the holes to Sam's "burrow"--the path of which he had spoken. It
proved to be very steep and slippery, and, before they had accomplished
half the distance to the summit, Tom was obliged to sit down and recover
his breath. The second time he stopped, he found before him a yawning
chasm which extended across the path, and seemed to check their farther
progress.

"Can you jump it, Muley?" asked the governor.

Now, as the chasm was fully ten feet wide, and Tom could see no chance
for a running start, he thought this question entirely unnecessary. No
boy who had any desire to live would have thought of attempting to jump
it; for, if he missed his footing when he landed on the opposite side,
he would fall about forty feet. That was what Tom thought, and that was
what he told the governor.

"Well, I have done it many a time," said Sam, "an' I can do it again."

As he spoke, he stepped to a tree beside the path, and began to unfasten
a rope which led down from some place above--Tom could not see where,
for the bushes that covered the side of the cliff were too thick.
Grasping the rope with both hands, the governor stepped back a few feet,
t