t seventy…four words and score。〃
There was a pause for a few minutes while Mr。 Meekin counted。 The letter had really turned out interesting。
〃Read out your marked words now； Meekin。 Let's see if I'm right。〃 Mr。 Meekin read with gradually crimsoning face：
〃'I have hope even in this my desolate condition。。。in prison Van Diemen's Land。。。the authorities are held in。。。hatred and contempt of prisoners。。。read in any colonial newspaper。。。accounts of cruelty and tyranny。。。inflicted by gaolers on convicts。。。severe flogging and heavy chaining。。。for slight breaches of discipline。。。I。。e。。。the pious。。。it。。。pays。。。？；000。。。in the old house in Blue Anchor Yard。。。 stolen goods and watches studs rings and jewellery。。。are。。。now。。。placed。。。 safely。。。I。。。 will。。。find。。。some。。。method of escape。。。then。。。for revenge。'〃
〃Well；〃 said Maurice； looking round with a grin； 〃what do you think of that？〃
〃Most remarkable！〃 said Mr。 Pounce。
〃How did you find it out； Frere？〃
〃Oh； it's nothing；〃 says Frere； meaning that it was a great deal。 〃I've studied a good many of these things； and this one is clumsy to some I've seen。 But it's pious； isn't it； Meekin？〃
Mr。 Meekin arose in wrath。
〃It's very ungracious on your part； Captain Frere。 A capital joke； I have no doubt； but permit me to say I do not like jesting on such matters。 This poor fellow's letter to his aged father to be made the subject of heartless merriment； I confess I do not understand。 It was confided to me in my sacred character as a Christian pastor。〃
〃That's just it。 The fellows play upon the parsons； don't you know； and under cover of your 'sacred character' play all kinds of pranks。 How the dog must have chuckled when he gave you that！〃
〃Captain Frere；〃 said Mr。 Meekin； changing colour like a chameleon with indignation and rage； 〃your interpretation is； I am convinced； an incorrect one。 How could the poor man compose such an ingenious piece of cryptography？〃
〃If you mean； fake up that paper；〃 returned Frere； unconsciously dropping into prison slang； 〃I'll tell you。 He had a Bible； I suppose； while he was writing？〃
〃I certainly permitted him the use of the Sacred Volume； Captain Frere。 I should have judged it inconsistent with the character of my Office to have refused it to him。〃
〃Of course。 And that's just where you parsons are always putting your foot into it。 If you'd put your 'Office' into your pocket and open your eyes a bit〃
〃Maurice！ My dear Maurice！〃
〃I beg your pardon； Meekin；〃 says Maurice； with clumsy apology； 〃but I know these fellows。 I've lived among 'em； I came out in a ship with 'em； I've talked with 'em； and drank with 'em； and I'm down to all their moves； don't you see。 The Bible is the only book they get hold of； and texts are the only bits of learning ever taught 'm； and being chockfull of villainy and plots and conspiracies； what other book should they make use of to aid their infernal schemes but the one that the chaplain has made a text book for 'em？〃 And Maurice rose in disgust； not unmixed with self…laudation。
〃Dear me； it is really very terrible；〃 says Meekin； who was not ill…meaning； but only self…complacent〃very terrible indeed。〃
〃But unhappily true；〃 said Mr。 Pounce。 〃An olive？ Thanks。〃
〃Upon me soul！〃 burst out honest McNab； 〃the hail seestem seems to be maist ill…calculated tae advance the wark o' reeformation。〃
〃Mr。 McNab； I'll trouble you for the port；〃 said equally honest Vickers； bound hand and foot in the chains of the rules of the services。 And so； what seemed likely to become a dangerous discussion upon convict discipline； was stifled judiciously at the birth。 But Sylvia； prompted； perhaps； by curiosity； perhaps by a desire to modify the parson's chagrin； in passing Mr。 Meekin； took up the 〃confession；〃 that lay unopened beside his wine glass； and bore it off。
〃Come； Mr。 Meekin；〃 said Vickers； when the door closed behind the ladies； 〃help yourself。 I am sorry the letter turned out so strangely； but you may rely on Frere； I assure you。 He knows more about convicts than any man on the island。〃
〃I see； Captain Frere； that you have studied the criminal classes。〃
〃So I have； my dear sir； and know every turn and twist among 'em。 I tell you my maxim。 It's some French fellow's； too； I believe； but that don't matterdivide to conquer。 Set all the dogs spying on each other。〃 〃Oh！〃 said Meekin。 〃It's the only way。 Why； my dear sir； if the prisoners were as faithful to each other as we are； we couldn't hold the island a week。 It's just because no man can trust his neighbour that every mutiny falls to the ground。〃
〃I suppose it must be so；〃 said poor Meekin。
〃It is so； and； by George； sir； if I had my way； I'd have it so that no prisoner should say a word to his right hand man； but his left hand man should tell me of it。 I'd promote the men that peached； and make the beggars their own warders。 Ha； ha！〃
〃But such a course； Captain Frere； though perhaps useful in a certain way； would surely produce harm。 It would excite the worst passions of our fallen nature； and lead to endless lying and tyranny。 I'm sure it would。〃
〃Wait a bit；〃 cries Frere。 〃Perhaps one of these days I'll get a chance； and then I'll try it。 Convicts！ By the Lord Harry； sir； there's only one way to treat 'em； give 'em tobacco when they behave 'emselves； and flog 'em when they don't。〃
〃Terrible！〃 says the clergyman with a shudder。 〃You speak of them as if they were wild beasts。〃
〃So they are；〃 said Maurice Frere； calmly。
CHAPTER X。
WHAT BECAME OF THE MUTINEERS OF THE 〃OSPREY〃
At the bottom of the long luxuriant garden…ground was a rustic seat abutting upon the low wall that topped the lane。 The branches of the English trees （planted long ago） hung above it； and between their rustling boughs one could see the reach of the silver river。 Sitting with her face to the bay and her back to the house； Sylvia opened the manuscript she had carried off from Meekin； and began to read。 It was written in a firm； large hand； and headed
〃A NARRATIVE 〃OF THE SUFFERINGS AND ADVENTURES OF CERTAIN OF THE TEN CONVICTS WHO SEIZED THE BRIG OSPREY； AT MACQUARIE HARBOUR； IN VAN DIEMEN'S LAND； RELATED BY ONE OF THE SAID CONVICTS WHILE LYING UNDER SENTENCE FOR THIS OFFENCE IN THE GAOL AT HOBART TOWN。〃
Sylvia； having read this grandiloquent sentence； paused for a moment。 The story of the mutiny； which had been the chief event of her childhood； lay before her； and it seemed to her that； were it related truly； she would comprehend something strange and terrible； which had been for many years a shadow upon her memory。 Longing； and yet fearing； to proceed； she held the paper； half unfolded； in her hand； as； in her childhood； she had held ajar the door of some dark room； into which she longed and yet feared to enter。 Her timidity lasted but an instant。
* * * * * *
〃When orders arrived from head…quarters to break up the penal settlement of Macquarie Harbour； the Commandant （Major Vickers； th Regiment） and most of the prisoners embarked on board a colonial vessel； and set sail for Hobart Town； leaving behind them a brig that had been built at Macquarie Harbour； to be brought round after them； and placing Captain Maurice Frere in command。 Left aboard her was Mr。 Bates； who had acted as pilot at the settlement； also four soldiers； and ten prisoners； as a crew to work the vessel。 The Commandant's wife and child were also aboard。〃
* * * * * *
〃How strangely it reads；〃 thought the girl。
* * * * * *
〃On the 12th of January； 1834； we set sail； and in the afternoon anchored safely outside the Gates； but a breeze setting in from the north…west caused a swell on the Bar； and Mr。 Bates ran back to Wellington Bay。 We remained there all next day； and in the afternoon Captain Frere took two soldiers and a boat； and went a…fishing。 There were then only Mr。 Bates and the other two soldiers aboard； and it was proposed by William Cheshire to seize the vessel。 I was at first unwilling； thinking that loss of life might ensue； but Cheshire and the others； knowing that I was acquainted with navigationhaving in happier days lived much on the seathreatened me if I refused to join。 A song was started in the folksle； and one of the soldiers； coming to listen to it； was seized； and Lyon and Riley then made prisoner of the sentry。 Forced thus into a project with which I had at first but little sympathy； I felt my heart leap at the prospect of freedom； and would have sacrificed all to obtain it。 Maddened by the desperate hopes that inspired me； I from that moment assumed the command of my wretched companions； and honestly think that； however culpable I may have been in the eyes of the law； I prevented them from the display of a violence to which their savage life had unhappily made them but too accustomed。〃
* * * * * *
〃Poor fellow；〃 said Sylvia； beguiled by Master Rex's specious paragraphs； 〃I think he was not to blame。〃
* * * * * *
〃Mr。 Bates was below in the cabin； and on being summoned by Cheshire to surrender； with great courage attempted a defence。 Barker fired at him through the skylight； but fearful of the lives of the Commandant's wife and child； I struck up his musket； and the ball passed through the mouldings of the stern windows。 At the same time； the soldiers whom we had bound in the folksle forced up the hatch and came on deck。 Cheshire shot the first one； and struck the other with his clubbed musket。 The wounded man lost his footing； and the brig lurching with the rising tide； he fell into the sea。 This wasby the blessing of Godthe only life lost in the whole affair。
〃Mr。 Bates； seeing now that we had possession of the deck； surrendered； upon promise that the Commandant's wife and child should be put ashore in safety。 I directed him to take such matters as he needed； and prepared to lower the jolly…boat。 As she swung off the davits； Captain Frere came alongside in the whale…boat； and gallan