ere made hewers of wood and drawers of
water to their companions; and Will Atkins, who was a turbulent fellow,
declared that he wouldn't stand it--that there would be a big fuss in
the society some day, if the officers persisted in making a servant of
him. He always obeyed orders, because he was afraid to refuse; but he
growled about it like any old sailor.

"I think this is a purty how-de-do," said he, sullenly, as he started
off to obey the mate's command. "It's 'Will Atkins, do this!' 'Will
Atkins, do that!' That lazy governor, an' Muley, an' Xury can set around
an' do nothin'; but Atkins can't have a minute's peace."

"Go on, and obey the order," said Tom, sternly. "If I hear another word
out of you, I'll report you to the governor."

This thread silenced the dissatisfied member of the Crusoe band. He
knew, by experience, that the chief had a very unpleasant way of dealing
with rebellious spirits, and fear of bodily harm kept him quiet.

By the time Friday had dished up his supper, Atkins returned with the
governor, who threw himself upon the grass at the head of the table,
while his officers seated themselves on each side of him. He passed his
cup to the cook to be filled with coffee, and, as he did so, he ran his
eye over the table, and smiled with great satisfaction.

"This is a heap better grub than I had while I lived here alone," said
he. "Friday, you know I am heavy on taters; why didn't you cook more of
'em?"

"Them's the last," was the answer.

"Then we must lay in a new supply," said Sam. "We'll go up after dark,
an' hook a bushel or so. I've been watchin' them fellers up there, fur
the last half hour; an' I notice they have left a good many piles of
taters in the field. It'll be the easiest thing in the world fur us to
get as many as we want."

The matter was settled without any further remarks. The governor's
orders had thus far been received and obeyed without comment; and so
small and uninteresting an enterprise as robbing a potato-patch was not
worth talking about. The Crusoe men had done such things so often that
they thought no more of them than they did of going fishing.

But this expedition was destined to be rather more exciting than any of
a similar kind in which they had ever engaged; and if they had only
known what was to happen before morning, and could have looked far
enough into the future to see the long string of events that was to
result from the governor's order, it is probabl