"I believe it would," answered Bob. "It might save somebody some trouble; for he'll be into another scrape as soon as he gets fairly out of this one, and he will ruin any body who has any thing to do with him."
"But how came you here a prisoner?" inquired the lieutenant. "You were not in the fight, were you?"
The fisher-boy's story was a long one; for, in order to enable Harry to understand how he came to incur the displeasure of Sam Barton, he was obliged to begin with the story of the passenger who had paid him forty dollars in gold for catching the steamer. He told all about Tom's lottery scheme, which made the lieutenant laugh until his jaws ached, and finally, he came to the Crusoe band. He related the circumstances connected with his capture; revealed the objects of the organization, and also the motives that had led Tom Newcombe to become a member, as far as he was acquainted with them. What he did not know Harry was able to supply, and thus they got at a complete history of every thing Tom had done since his expulsion from the society of Night-hawks. Harry was really amazed to learn that a boy of Tom's years could put any faith in a lottery, and believe that Sam Barton's idea of hunting up an island somewhere in the ocean, and leading Crusoe life, could be successfully carried out.
"I do not know that my chances for promotion are the best in the world just now," said the lieutenant, as he arose and unlocked the door that led into the hold, "but such as they are, I would almost give them up to know what notion that boy will get into his head next. I wonder if he won't come to the conclusion that the North Pole is 'just the place he always wanted to go to,' and try to fit out an expedition among the village boys!"
"If he does he will get plenty of recruits," said Bob.
"Come out here, Friday, Jack Spaniard, Will Atkins, and Exury," exclaimed Harry, addressing himself to the prisoners. "Let us have a look at you. I want to see the boy who was lucky enough to take this vessel down the harbor in this storm, without smashing her to pieces."
The fisher-boy, while relating the history and exploits of the Crusoe band, had given the lieutenant the names of the members, just as the governor had pronounced them.
"By the way, Richardson," continued Harry, turning to the midshipman who had managed the vessel, while his superior officer was leading the attack on the pirates, "I have read Robinson Crusoe a good many times, but I never saw any thing in it about a fellow called Exury. Whom are you named after?" he added, addressing the reckless pilot.
"After the feller that was with the governor when he ran away in the boat that had a shoulder of mutton for a sail," was the reply.
The first lieutenant, who was highly amused at every thing he heard regarding the band, laughed louder than ever. Xury had got things pretty well mixed up, if he supposed that Crusoe's boat had a shoulder of mutton for a sail; but, after all, he was not to blame for that, for he had never read the book, and all his ideas concerning the hero of the band, and his surroundings, were gained from what he had heard Sam say on the subject.