re thought of it; but he had pondered upon it so often, and had
weighed so many schemes for its accomplishment, that the enormity of the
crime had finally dwindled into insignificance. Perhaps, if he had spent
as much time in thinking about robbing Mr. Henry's store as he had about
destroying the Storm King, Sam's proposition would not have startled him
in the least. The fact was, Tom had long been going down hill, in a
moral point of view. Like every one else who does not advance, he was
retrograding. There is no such thing as standing still in this world. A
boy grows better or worse every day of his life. The change may be so
gradual as to escape the notice of those around him, but it is,
nevertheless, surely going on. The truth of this had been fully
illustrated in Tom's case. From studying up schemes for mischief, which
were simply intended to amuse himself and companions, he had come, by
easy steps, to think seriously of attempting a crime, to revenge himself
upon his father, the students, and the principal of the academy. He did
not expect to accomplish it without being discovered; and he knew that,
if he was captured, his punishment would be something more terrible than
any thing he had yet experienced. But this thought did not deter him. He
was resolved to carry out his new idea, if within the bounds of
possibility, and to escape the consequences by running away from the
village.

"Well, cap'n, what do you say?" asked the governor, after Tom had sat
gazing thoughtfully at the ground for several minutes. "We must have
something to eat, an that's the only way I know of to get it."

"You can do as you please," was the answer. "I shall not take any part
in robbing the store; there is too much danger in it."

"Well, we can get along without your help. You can stand by and look on.
You said something about gettin' even with them 'cademy swells, didn't
you?"

"Yes, I did. I am going to burn that yacht."

It was now Sam's turn to be astonished. He started up and looked at his
companion as if he hardly believed that he could be in earnest.

"O, I mean it, governor," said Tom, with a decided shake of his head.

"Now, if you will listen to me, cap'n', you will keep away from them
'cademy fellers. They think a heap of that little vessel, an' if they
ketch you tryin' to burn her, they won't be no ways backward about
givin' you a good drubbin'. Besides, you'll have Mr. Grimes after you."

"I have thought the matter ov