No Moss; Or, The Career of a Rolling Stone

by Harry Castlemon

"Somebody must do it," said the chief. "We can't go to sea without grub."

"But how are you going to get into the store?"

"Do you see this yere?" answered the governor, showing an auger he carried in his hand. "The door that opens into the alley that runs between the store an' your father's elevator is fastened with a hook. We'll bore two or three holes through the door, an' then I'll put in my hand an' lift up that hook. It's just as easy as fallin' off a log."

"Look out for my father's night watchman," said Tom. "He's always got his eyes open, and if he catches you prowling about that passage-way he'll bring our cruise to an end in a hurry."

The governor had thought of that watchman more than once, and he was afraid of him. He would have breathed a good deal easier had he known that there was no danger to be apprehended from him, and that two other obstacles had also been removed from his path. The watchman was at that moment lying behind the elevator, bound hand and foot; the door which led into the store from the passage-way had already been opened in precisely the same way that the governor intended to open it, and Johnny Harding was powerless to resist them, or to give the alarm. But the Crusoe men did not know this, and more than one of them would have been glad of some excuse for declining to assist in so hazardous an enterprise.

"Now, fellers," said the chief, "if there are any cowards in this yere band, I want to know it before we go any farther. If there are any among you who aint willin' to promise to stand by me to the last, let them step out on one side, so that I can have a look at 'em."

The governor paused, but none of the band moved.

"I am glad to see that you are all brave men," continued Sam. "If any one of you tries to shirk his duty when it comes to the pinch, we'll throw him over; he sha'n't go on this expedition. Now let's make a break, fur the quicker we get to work the sooner we'll get done. Friday, shoulder one of them handspikes an' stand by to use it on Johnny Harding if he makes a fuss."

"And, Friday," chimed in Tom, "if you do hit him, hit him hard. That boy has nearly bothered the life out of me."

The governor and his companions clambered over the rail and disappeared from the view of Tom Newcombe, who paced impatiently up and down the wharf, now and then stopping to survey his vessel, and wishing that he could look far enough into the future to see what part she was destined to play in the Crusoe drama. If they were pursued, was she fleet enough to carry them out of harm's way? Would she take them safely to their island, or would she be capsized and sunk before she got out of Buzzard's Bay? Tom did not bother his head much about these questions, for he knew that the little schooner was staunch and swift, and, as he began to have great confidence in his abilities as a navigator and seaman, he was sure that he could bring her safely out of any danger that might befall her. On the subject of destroying the Storm King, however, he debated long and earnestly. He began to see that there was danger in it. The students were alert and watchful, and if they caught him on board the vessel with matches and a bottle of coal-oil in his pocket, what would they do to him? Tom trembled a little as he asked himself this question, but he never once thought of giving up his "splendid idea." He only wished that the work was done, and that he was well out to sea with the Sweepstakes. Meanwhile, the governor and his men moved cautiously along the wharf toward Mr. Henry's store. They walked around the elevator without seeing any signs of the watchman, and were about to enter the passage when Sam, who was leading the way, suddenly stopped.