〃Hang　it！〃　said　he；　rising　and　stretching　himself；　with　the　weary　sigh　of　a　man　who　has　nothing　to　do；　〃I　must　have　been　asleep〃；　and　then；　holding　by　a　stay；　he　turned　about　and　looked　down　into　the　waist　of　the　ship。
  Save　for　the　man　at　the　wheel　and　the　guard　at　the　quarter…railing；　he　was　alone　on　the　deck。　　A　few　birds　flew　round　about　the　vessel；　and　seemed　to　pass　under　her　stern　windows　only　to　appear　again　at　her　bows。　A　lazy　albatross；　with　the　white　water　flashing　from　his　wings；　rose　with　a　dabbling　sound　to　leeward；　and　in　the　place　where　he　had　been　glided　the　hideous　fin　of　a　silently…swimming　shark。　The　seams　of　the　well…scrubbed　deck　were　sticky　with　melted　pitch；　and　the　brass　plate　of　the　compass…case　sparkled　in　the　sun　like　a　jewel。　There　was　no　breeze；　and　as　the　clumsy　ship　rolled　and　lurched　on　the　heaving　sea；　her　idle　sails　flapped　against　her　masts　with　a　regularly　recurring　noise；　and　her　bowsprit　would　seem　to　rise　higher　with　the　water's　swell；　to　dip　again　with　a　jerk　that　made　each　rope　tremble　and　tauten。　　On　the　forecastle；　some　half…dozen　soldiers；　in　all　varieties　of　undress；　were　playing　at　cards；　smoking；　or　watching　the　fishing…lines　hanging　over　the　catheads。
  So　far　the　appearance　of　the　vessel　differed　in　no　wise　from　that　of　an　ordinary　transport。　　But　in　the　waist　a　curious　sight　presented　itself。　It　was　as　though　one　had　built　a　cattle…pen　there。　　At　the　foot　of　the　foremast；　and　at　the　quarter…deck；　a　strong　barricade；　loop…holed　and　furnished　with　doors　for　ingress　and　egress；　ran　across　the　deck　from　bulwark　to　bulwark。　　Outside　this　cattle…pen　an　armed　sentry　stood　on　guard；　inside；　standing；　sitting；　or　walking　monotonously；　within　range　of　the　shining　barrels　in　the　arm　chest　on　the　poop；　were　some　sixty　men　and　boys；　dressed　in　uniform　grey。　　The　men　and　boys　were　prisoners　of　the　Crown；　and　the　cattle…pen　was　their　exercise　ground。　　Their　prison　was　down　the　main　hatchway；　on　the　'tween　decks；　and　the　barricade；　continued　down；　made　its　side　walls。
  It　was　the　fag　end　of　the　two　hours'　exercise　graciously　permitted　each　afternoon　by　His　Majesty　King　George　the　Fourth　to　prisoners　of　the　Crown；　and　the　prisoners　of　the　Crown　were　enjoying　themselves。　It　was　not；　perhaps；　so　pleasant　as　under　the　awning　on　the　poop…deck；　but　that　sacred　shade　was　only　for　such　great　men　as　the　captain　and　his　officers；　Surgeon　Pine；　Lieutenant　Maurice　Frere；　and；　most　important　personages　of　all；　Captain　Vickers　and　his　wife。
  That　the　convict　leaning　against　the　bulwarks　would　like　to　have　been　able　to　get　rid　of　his　enemy　the　sun　for　a　moment；　was　probable　enough。　His　companions；　sitting　on　the　combings　of　the　main…hatch；　or　crouched　in　careless　fashion　on　the　shady　side　of　the　barricade；　were　laughing　and　talking；　with　blasphemous　and　obscene　merriment　hideous　to　contemplate；　but　he；　with　cap　pulled　over　his　brows；　and　hands　thrust　into　the　pockets　of　his　coarse　grey　garments；　held　aloof　from　their　dismal　joviality。
  The　sun　poured　his　hottest　rays　on　his　head　unheeded；　and　though　every　cranny　and　seam　in　the　deck　sweltered　hot　pitch　under　the　fierce　heat；　the　man　stood　there；　motionless　and　morose；　staring　at　the　sleepy　sea。　He　had　stood　thus；　in　one　place　or　another；　ever　since　the　groaning　vessel　had　escaped　from　the　rollers　of　the　Bay　of　Biscay；　and　the　miserable　hundred　and　eighty　creatures　among　whom　he　was　classed　had　been　freed　from　their　irons；　and　allowed　to　sniff　fresh　air　twice　a　day。
  The　low…browed；　coarse…featured　ruffians　grouped　about　the　deck　cast　many　a　leer　of　contempt　at　the　solitary　figure；　but　their　remarks　were　confined　to　gestures　only。　　There　are　degrees　in　crime；　and　Rufus　Dawes；　the　convicted　felon；　who　had　but　escaped　the　gallows　to　toil　for　all　his　life　in　irons；　was　a　man　of　mark。　　He　had　been　tried　for　the　robbery　and　murder　of　Lord　Bellasis。　　The　friendless　vagabond's　lame　story　of　finding　on　the　Heath　a　dying　man　would　not　have　availed　him；　but　for　the　curious　fact　sworn　to　by　the　landlord　of　the　Spaniards'　Inn；　that　the　murdered　nobleman　had　shaken　his　head　when　asked　if　the　prisoner　was　his　assassin。　　The　vagabond　was　acquitted　of　the　murder；　but　condemned　to　death　for　the　robbery；　and　London；　who　took　some　interest　in　the　trial；　considered　him　fortunate　when　his　sentence　was　commuted　to　transportation　for　life。
  It　was　customary　on　board　these　floating　prisons　to　keep　each　man's　crime　a　secret　from　his　fellows；　so　that　if　he　chose；　and　the　caprice　of　his　gaolers　allowed　him；　he　could　lead　a　new　life　in　his　adopted　home；　without　being　taunted　with　his　former　misdeeds。　　But；　like　other　excellent　devices；　the　expedient　was　only　a　nominal　one；　and　few　out　of　the　doomed　hundred　and　eighty　were　ignorant　of　the　offence　which　their　companions　had　committed。　　The　more　guilty　boasted　of　their　superiority　in　vice；　the　petty　criminals　swore　that　their　guilt　was　blacker　than　it　appeared。　　Moreover；　a　deed　so　bloodthirsty　and　a　respite　so　unexpected；　had　invested　the　name　of　Rufus　Dawes　with　a　grim　distinction；　which　his　superior　mental　abilities；　no　less　than　his　haughty　temper　and　powerful　frame；　combined　to　support。　A　young　man　of　two…and…twenty　owning　to　no　friends；　and　existing　among　them　but　by　the　fact　of　his　criminality；　he　was　respected　and　admired。　　The　vilest　of　all　the　vile　horde　penned　between　decks；　if　they　laughed　at　his　〃fine　airs〃　behind　his　back；　cringed　and　submitted　when　they　met　him　face　to　facefor　in　a　convict　ship　the　greatest　villain　is　the　greatest　hero；　and　the　only　nobility　acknowledged　by　that　hideous　commonwealth　is　that　Order　of　the　Halter　which　is　conferred　by　the　hand　of　the　hangman。
  The　young　man　on　the　poop　caught　sight　of　the　tall　figure　leaning　against　the　bulwarks；　and　it　gave　him　an　excuse　to　break　the　monotony　of　his　employment。
  〃Here；　you！〃　he　called　with　an　oath；　〃get　out　of　the　gangway！　〃Rufus　Dawes　was　not　in　the　gangwaywas；　in　fact；　a　good　two　feet　from　it；　but　at　the　sound　of　Lieutenant　Frere's　voice　he　started；　and　went　obediently　towards　the　hatchway。
  〃Touch　your　hat；　you　dog！〃　cries　Frere；　coming　to　the　quarter…railing。　〃Touch　your　damned　hat！　　Do　you　hear？〃
  Rufus　Dawes　touched　his　cap；　saluting　in　half　military　fashion。　〃I'll　make　some　of　you　fellows　smart；　if　you　don't　have　a　care；〃　went　on　the　angry　Frere；　half　to　himself。　　〃Insolent　blackguards！〃
  And　then　the　noise　of　the　sentry；　on　the　quarter…deck　below　him；　grounding　arms；　turned　the　current　of　his　thoughts。　　A　thin；　tall；　soldier…like　man；　with　a　cold　blue　eye；　and　prim　features；　came　out　of　the　cuddy　below；　handing　out　a　fair…haired；　affected；　mincing　lady；　of　middle　age。　　Captain　Vickers；　of　Mr。　Frere's　regiment；　ordered　for　service　in　Van　Diemen's　Land；　was　bringing　his　lady　on　deck　to　get　an　appetite　for　dinner。
  Mrs。　Vickers　was　forty…two　（she　owned　to　thirty…three）；　and　had　been　a　garrison…belle　for　eleven　weary　years　before　she　married　prim　John　Vickers。　The　marriage　was　not　a　happy　one。　　Vickers　found　his　wife　extravagant；　vain；　and　snappish；　and　she　found　him　harsh；　disenchanted；　and　commonplace。　A　daughter；　born　two　years　after　their　marriage；　was　the　only　link　that　bound　the　ill…assorted　pair。　　Vickers　idolized　little　Sylvia；　and　when　the　recommendation　of　a　long　sea…voyage　for　his　failing　health　induced　him　to　exchange　into　the　the；　he　insisted　upon　bringing　the　child　with　him；　despite　Mrs。　Vickers's　reiterated　objections　on　the　score　of　educational　difficulties。　　〃He　could　educate　her　himself；　if　need　be；〃　he　said；　〃and　she　should　not　stay　at　home。〃
  So　Mrs。　Vickers；　after　a　hard　struggle；　gave　up　the　point　and　her　dreams　of　Bath　together；　and　followed　her　husband　with　the　best　grace　she　could　muster。　　When　fairly　out　to　sea　she　seemed　reconciled　to　her　fate；　and　employed　the　intervals　between　scolding　her　daughter　and　her　maid；　in　fascinating　the　boorish　young　Lieutenant；　Maurice　Frere。
  Fascination　was　an　integral　portion　of　Julia　Vickers's　nature；　admiration　was　all　she　lived　for：　and　even　in　a　convict　ship；　with　her　husband　at　her　elbow；　she　must　flirt；　or　perish　of　mental　inanition。　There　was　no　harm　in　the　creature。　　She　was　simply　a　vain；　middle…aged　woman；　and　Frere　took　her　attentions　for　what　they　were　worth。　Moreover；　her　good　feeling　towards　him　was　useful；　for　reasons　which　will　shortly　appear。
  Running　down　the　ladder；　cap　in　hand；　he　offered　her　his　assistance。
  〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Frere。　　These　horrid　ladders。　　I　reallyhe；　hequite　tremble　at　them。　　Hot！　　Yes；　dear　me；　most　oppressive。　　John；　the　camp…stool。　Pray；　Mr。　Frereoh；　thank　you！　　Sylvia！　　Sylvia！　　John；　have　you　my　smelling　salts？　　Still　a　calm；　I　suppose？　　These　dreadful　calms！〃
  This　semi…fashionable　slip…slop；　within　twenty　yards　of　the　wild　beasts'　den；　on　the　other　side　of　the　barricade；　sounded　strange；　but　Mr。　Frere　thought　nothing　of　it。　　Familiarity　destroys　terror；　and　the　incurable　flirt；　fluttered　her　muslins；　and　played　off　her　second…rate　graces；　under　the　noses　of　the　grinning　convicts；　with　as　much　complacency　as　if　she　had　been　in　a　Chatham　ball…room。　　Indeed；　if　there　had　been　nobody　else　near；　it　is　not　unlikely　that　she　would　have　disdainfully　fascinated　the　'tween…decks；　and　made　eyes　at　the　most　presentable　of　the　convicts　ther