tryin'
to help 'em, would you?"

"I don't care what you do. You can do as you please, an' so will I."

"Now, Atkins, have you forgot them lessons I have given you? If you
don't look out I'll have to larn you a few more. You're gettin' to be
mighty sassy, lately."

"You can't scare me none, governor, fur I aint alone like I used to be.
I've got at least one good friend in the band. Jack, you'll stand by
me."

"I will," replied Jack Spaniard, who arose from the rock where he had
been sitting, and walked over to the side of the mutineer. "You see,
governor," he added, "me an' Atkins have got tired of doin' all the
work. You never let us have things our way at all, an' we aint a goin'
to stand it no longer. If you want to help the cap'n an' Xury you can do
it yourself."

The governor listened to this speech in silence. He had been expecting a
demonstration of this kind from Atkins, but he was not prepared for so
decided an opposition to his authority. Atkins had long shown a
disposition to make trouble in the band, and during the last three days
he had been more disorderly than ever. The governor had often heard him
grumbling to himself, and he had made up his mind to whip all the
rebellious spirit out of him at the first good opportunity. That
opportunity was now presented; but Sam did not think it safe to attempt
to carry out his resolve. Atkins was backed up by Jack Spaniard, and
with his aid, he was likely to prove more than a match for the
redoubtable bully. If Tom and his mate had been there to assist him, he
could have crushed the rebellion in short order.

"Of all the mean things that have happened in the band since I got to be
governor, this yere is the beat," said Sam, after a moment's pause.
"You two fellers promised, not more'n two weeks ago, to obey all orders,
an' to stand by your friends, if they got into trouble; an' now you are
goin' back on your word. There aint no honor about such fellers as you
be. Friday, whose side are you on?"

"On your'n, governor; I don't think we shall ever see our island now,
but I'll stick to you as long as any body does."

"All right!" exclaimed the chief, immensely relieved. "Jack Spaniard,
you're always been a good, law-abidin' man, an' if you'll come away from
that feller, I won't say nothin' to you; I'll let you off easy. An' you,
Atkins, you've been spilin' fur a good drubbin', an' the only way you
can escape it, is by sayin' that you'll tend to your duty, an' obe