While Bob was eating his breakfast, neither he nor his jailers spoke a word. The latter evidently had nothing to talk about, and the fisher-boy, knowing that he could not say much that was complimentary to Sam and his band, thought it best to keep silent. The governor seemed to be in excellent spirits since he captured his rival, and Bob knew that it was policy to keep him so if he could. He had not forgotten that Sam was the boy who had caused him a great deal of trouble by sinking his scow, and stealing his fine skiff, but he could not afford to show that he cherished revengeful feelings about it.
"Have you had enough?" asked the chief, when the fisher-boy had finished the last mouthful of his breakfast. "If you haint, say the word, an' we'll fetch you more."
"I have had a great plenty," replied Bob; "and now, Sam, I would like to know how long you intend to keep me a prisoner here?"
"Well, that depends!" answered the governor; "you see, Bobby, it wouldn't be a very smart trick fur us to let you out till we get ready to leave Newport. You know too much, an' you might be mean enough to make us a great deal of trouble."
"Very likely I should," replied the fisher-boy, bluntly. "But I would rather be kept here six months than to be in your boots when Mr. Grimes gets his hands on you."
"You needn't lose no sleep worryin' about us," returned Sam. "If we don't know enough to take care of ourselves we ought to get into trouble. Now, we must bid you good-by, Bobby," he continued, as he coolly proceeded to fasten his prisoner's arms behind him, "an' we hope you'll have a jolly time till we get back. Two is company, you know, so you an' the dog can talk over your secrets without bein' afraid that somebody will hear you. It aint no ways likely that we shall call on you agin afore night, 'cause it aint exactly safe fur us to come here often durin' the day-time. If we hear any body askin' fur you, we'll tell 'em that the last time we seed you, you were in good health and spirits."
The fisher-boy listened in silence to this insulting speech, and scarcely had the door closed behind the governor, when, in spite of the angry growls of the dog, he renewed his efforts to free himself from his bonds. He met with no better success than before; for Sam had taken a great deal of pains in fastening the rope, and he was finally obliged to give it up as a bad job. For want of some better way to pass the time, he stretched himself out on his hard bed, and tried in vain to go to sleep. The rope had been drawn so tightly that his arms began to swell, and this caused him so much pain that sometimes he found it exceedingly difficult to keep back his tears. How he lived through the day, he scarcely knew. Time moved on laggard wings, and all he had to divert his attention, during the fourteen hours that elapsed between the visits of his jailers, were the rattling of the wagons on the pavement over his head, and the angry growls of the dog, which were kept up at short intervals, during the day. How Bob wished that his hands were free! That brute, large and savage as he was, would not long stand between him and his freedom. Then, for a long time, the fisher-boy lay with his face downward—that being the most comfortable position he could assume—and pondered upon the chances of vanquishing the dog, in case he should get into a fight with him.
Eight o'clock came at last, and with it arrived Sam Barton and his band, including Tom Newcombe, who brought a splendid double-barrel shot-gun, two jointed fish-poles, a quantity of hooks and lines, and also his game chickens, all of which he offered to increase the general stock. Every thing was accepted, in spite of the objections raised by Will Atkins, who argued that not only did the book fail to mention whether or not Crusoe's gun was a double-barrel, but it was also silent on the subject of game chickens. It said nothing about fish-poles either, especially jointed ones; and to show that his objection was well founded, Atkins picked up the book, and turned to a picture which represented Robinson catching a dolphin with a hand-line. The governor listened patiently to all he had to say, but he failed to discover any reason why he should not adhere to his decision.
"Any body with half sense could see that a double-barrel gun is a handy thing to have about," said the chief. "'Spose Tommy should happen to get into a fight with two Injuns, while he was out alone on the island, hunting for goats! couldn't he easy kill 'em both? Fish-poles, too, are sometimes worth more'n they cost. Mebbe our island, when we find it, will be different from Crusoe's. Mebbe there'll be creeks on it, with sunfish an' perch in 'em; an' whoever heared of ketchin' them kind of fish with hand-lines? An' as fur them game chickens, they will be jest the things we need. We may get tired of livin' on turtle's eggs, you know."
"That makes no odds," replied the dissatisfied member. "You wouldn't take that ar watch of mine, an' I aint a goin' to let them things of Tommy's go, neither."