In　the　emotion　which　the　apparently　disinterested　conduct　of　John　Rex　had　occasioned　the　exiles；　all　earnest　thought　of　their　own　position　had　vanished；　and；　strange　to　say；　the　prevailing　feeling　was　that　of　anxiety　for　the　ultimate　fate　of　the　mutineers。　　But　as　the　boat　grew　smaller　and　smaller　in　the　distance；　so　did　their　consciousness　of　their　own　situation　grow　more　and　more　distinct；　and　when　at　last　the　boat　had　disappeared　in　the　shadow　of　the　brig；　all　started；　as　if　from　a　dream；　to　the　wakeful　contemplation　of　their　own　case。
  A　council　of　war　was　held；　with　Mr。　Frere　at　the　head　of　it；　and　the　possessions　of　the　little　party　were　thrown　into　common　stock。　The　salt　meat；　flour；　and　tea　were　placed　in　a　hollow　rock　at　some　distance　from　the　beach；　and　Mr。　Bates　was　appointed　purser；　to　apportion　to　each；　without　fear　or　favour；　his　stated　allowance。　　The　goat　was　tethered　with　a　piece　of　fishing　line　sufficiently　long　to　allow　her　to　browse。　The　cask　of　rum；　by　special　agreement；　was　placed　in　the　innermost　recess　of　the　rock；　and　it　was　resolved　that　its　contents　should　not　be　touched　except　in　case　of　sickness；　or　in　last　extremity。　　There　was　no　lack　of　water；　for　a　spring　ran　bubbling　from　the　rocks　within　a　hundred　yards　of　the　spot　where　the　party　had　landed。　　They　calculated　that；　with　prudence；　their　provisions　would　last　them　for　nearly　four　weeks。
  It　was　found；　upon　a　review　of　their　possessions；　that　they　had　among　them　three　pocket　knives；　a　ball　of　string；　two　pipes；　matches　and　a　fig　of　tobacco；　fishing　lines　with　hooks；　and　a　big　jack…knife　which　Frere　had　taken　to　gut　the　fish　he　had　expected　to　catch。　　But　they　saw　with　dismay　that　there　was　nothing　which　could　be　used　axe…wise　among　the　party。　Mrs。　Vickers　had　her　shawl；　and　Bates　a　pea…jacket；　but　Frere　and　Grimes　were　without　extra　clothing。　　It　was　agreed　that　each　should　retain　his　own　property；　with　the　exception　of　the　fishing　lines；　which　were　confiscated　to　the　commonwealth。
  Having　made　these　arrangements；　the　kettle；　filled　with　water　from　the　spring；　was　slung　from　three　green　sticks　over　the　fire；　and　a　pannikin　of　weak　tea；　together　with　a　biscuit；　served　out　to　each　of　the　party；　save　Grimes；　who　declared　himself　unable　to　eat。　　Breakfast　over；　Bates　made　a　damper；　which　was　cooked　in　the　ashes；　and　then　another　council　was　held　as　to　future　habitation。
  It　was　clearly　evident　that　they　could　not　sleep　in　the　open　air。　It　was　the　middle　of　summer；　and　though　no　annoyance　from　rain　was　apprehended；　the　heat　in　the　middle　of　the　day　was　most　oppressive。　　Moreover；　it　was　absolutely　necessary　that　Mrs。　Vickers　and　the　child　should　have　some　place　to　themselves。　　At　a　little　distance　from　the　beach　was　a　sandy　rise；　that　led　up　to　the　face　of　the　cliff；　and　on　the　eastern　side　of　this　rise　grew　a　forest　of　young　trees。　　Frere　proposed　to　cut　down　these　trees；　and　make　a　sort　of　hut　with　them。　　It　was　soon　discovered；　however；　that　the　pocket　knives　were　insufficient　for　this　purpose；　but　by　dint　of　notching　the　young　saplings　and　then　breaking　them　down；　they　succeeded；　in　a　couple　of　hours；　in　collecting　wood　enough　to　roof　over　a　space　between　the　hollow　rock　which　contained　the　provisions　and　another　rock；　in　shape　like　a　hammer；　which　jutted　out　within　five　yards　of　it。　　Mrs。　Vickers　and　Sylvia　were　to　have　this　hut　as　a　sleeping…place；　and　Frere　and　Bates；　lying　at　the　mouth　of　the　larder；　would　at　once　act　as　a　guard　to　it　and　them。　　Grimes　was　to　make　for　himself　another　hut　where　the　fire　had　been　lighted　on　the　previous　night。
  When　they　got　back　to　dinner；　inspirited　by　this　resolution；　they　found　poor　Mrs。　Vickers　in　great　alarm。　　Grimes；　who；　by　reason　of　the　dint　in　his　skull；　had　been　left　behind；　was　walking　about　the　sea…beach；　talking　mysteriously；　and　shaking　his　fist　at　an　imaginary　foe。　On　going　up　to　him；　they　discovered　that　the　blow　had　affected　his　brain；　for　he　was　delirious。　　Frere　endeavoured　to　soothe　him；　without　effect；　and　at　last；　by　Bates's　advice；　the　poor　fellow　was　rolled　in　the　sea。　The　cold　bath　quelled　his　violence；　and；　being　laid　beneath　the　shade　of　a　rock　hard　by；　he　fell　into　a　condition　of　great　muscular　exhaustion；　and　slept。
  The　damper　was　then　portioned　out　by　Bates；　and；　together　with　a　small　piece　of　meat；　it　formed　the　dinner　of　the　party。　　Mrs。　Vickers　reported　that　she　had　observed　a　great　commotion　on　board　the　brig；　and　thought　that　the　prisoners　must　be　throwing　overboard　such　portions　of　the　cargo　as　were　not　absolutely　necessary　to　them；　in　order　to　lighten　her。　This　notion　Bates　declared　to　be　correct；　and　further　pointed　out　that　the　mutineers　had　got　out　a　kedge…anchor；　and　by　hauling　on　the　kedge…line；　were　gradually　warping　the　brig　down　the　harbour。　Before　dinner　was　over　a　light　breeze　sprang　up；　and　the　Osprey；　running　up　the　union…jack　reversed；　fired　a　musket；　either　in　farewell　or　triumph；　and；　spreading　her　sails；　disappeared　round　the　western　horn　of　the　harbour。
  Mrs。　Vickers；　taking　Sylvia　with　her；　went　away　a　few　paces；　and　leaning　against　the　rugged　wall　of　her　future　home；　wept　bitterly。　Bates　and　Frere　affected　cheerfulness；　but　each　felt　that　he　had　hitherto　regarded　the　presence　of　the　brig　as　a　sort　of　safeguard；　and　had　never　fully　realized　his　own　loneliness　until　now。
  The　necessity　for　work；　however；　admitted　of　no　indulgence　of　vain　sorrow；　and　Bates　setting　the　example；　the　pair　worked　so　hard　that　by　nightfall　they　had　torn　down　and　dragged　together　sufficient　brushwood　to　complete　Mrs。　Vickers's　hut。　　During　the　progress　of　this　work　they　were　often　interrupted　by　Grimes；　who　persisted　in　vague　rushes　at　them；　exclaiming　loudly　against　their　supposed　treachery　in　leaving　him　at　the　mercy　of　the　mutineers。　　Bates　also　complained　of　the　pain　caused　by　the　wound　in　his　forehead；　and　that　he　was　afflicted　with　a　giddiness　which　he　knew　not　how　to　avert。　　By　dint　of　frequently　bathing　his　head　at　the　spring；　however；　he　succeeded　in　keeping　on　his　legs；　until　the　work　of　dragging　together　the　boughs　was　completed；　when　he　threw　himself　on　the　ground；　and　declared　that　he　could　rise　no　more。
  Frere　applied　to　him　the　remedy　that　had　been　so　successfully　tried　upon　Grimes；　but　the　salt　water　inflamed　his　wound　and　rendered　his　condition　worse。　　Mrs。　Vickers　recommended　that　a　little　spirit　and　water　should　be　used　to　wash　the　cut；　and　the　cask　was　got　out　and　broached　for　that　purpose。　　Tea　and　damper　formed　their　evening　meal；　and　by　the　light　of　a　blazing　fire；　their　condition　looked　less　desperate。　Mrs。　Vickers　had　set　the　pannikin　on　a　flat　stone；　and　dispensed　the　tea　with　an　affectation　of　dignity　which　would　have　been　absurd　had　it　not　been　heart…rending。　　She　had　smoothed　her　hair　and　pinned　the　white　shawl　about　her　coquettishly；　she　even　ventured　to　lament　to　Mr。　Frere　that　she　had　not　brought　more　clothes。　　Sylvia　was　in　high　spirits；　and　scorned　to　confess　hunger。　　When　the　tea　had　been　drunk；　she　fetched　water　from　the　spring　in　the　kettle；　and　bathed　Bates's　head　with　it。　　It　was　resolved　that；　on　the　morrow；　a　search　should　be　made　for　some　place　from　which　to　cast　the　fishing　line；　and　that　one　of　the　number　should　fish　daily。
  The　condition　of　the　unfortunate　Grimes　now　gave　cause　for　the　greatest　uneasiness。　　From　maundering　foolishly　he　had　taken　to　absolute　violence；　and　had　to　be　watched　by　Frere。　　After　much　muttering　and　groaning；　the　poor　fellow　at　last　dropped　off　to　sleep；　and　Frere；　having　assisted　Bates　to　his　sleeping…place　in　front　of　the　rock；　and　laid　him　down　on　a　heap　of　green　brushwood；　prepared　to　snatch　a　few　hours'　slumber。　Wearied　by　excitement　and　the　labours　of　the　day；　he　slept　heavily；　but；　towards　morning；　was　awakened　by　a　strange　noise。
  Grimes；　whose　delirium　had　apparently　increased；　had　succeeded　in　forcing　his　way　through　the　rude　fence　of　brushwood；　and　had　thrown　himself　upon　Bates　with　the　ferocity　of　insanity。　　Growling　to　himself；　he　had　seized　the　unfortunate　pilot　by　the　throat；　and　the　pair　were　struggling　together。　　Bates；　weakened　by　the　sickness　that　had　followed　upon　his　wound　in　the　head；　was　quite　unable　to　cope　with　his　desperate　assailant；　but　calling　feebly　upon　Frere　for　help；　had　made　shift　to　lay　hold　upon　the　jack…knife　of　which　we　have　before　spoken。　Frere；　starting　to　his　feet；　rushed　to　the　assistance　of　the　pilot；　but　was　too　late。　　Grimes；　enraged　by　the　sight　of　the　knife；　tore　it　from　Bates's　grasp；　and　before　Frere　could　catch　his　arm；　plunged　it　twice　into　the　unfortunate　man's　breast。
  〃I'm　a　dead　man！〃　cried　Bates　faintly。
  The　sight　of　the　blood；　together　with　the　exclamation　of　his　victim；　recalled　Grimes　to　consciousness。　　He　looked　in　bewilderment　at　the　bloody　weapon；　and　then；　flinging　it　from　him；　rushed　away　towards　the　sea；　into　which　he　plunged　headlong。
  Frere；　aghast　at　this　sudden　and　terrible　tragedy；　gazed　after　him；　and　saw　from　out　the　placid　water；　sparkling　in　the　bright　beams　of　morning；　a　pair　of　arms；　with　outstretched　hands；　emerge；　a　black　spot；　that　was　a　head；　uprose　between　these　stiffening　arms；　and　then；　with　a　horrible　cry；　the　whole　disappeared；　and　the　bright　water　sparkled　as　placidly　as　before。　　The　eyes　of　the　terrified　Fr