e；　they　resolve　to　make　for　it。　　After　hobbling　five　miles；　they　seem　no　nearer　than　before；　and；　nigh　dead　with　fatigue　and　starvation；　sink　despairingly　upon　the　ground。　Vetch　thinks　Gabbett's　eyes　have　a　wolfish　glare　in　them；　and　instinctively　draws　off　from　him。　　Said　Greenhill；　in　the　course　of　a　dismal　conversation；　〃I　am　so　weak　that　I　could　eat　a　piece　of　a　man。〃
  On　the　tenth　day　Bodenham　refuses　to　stir；　and　the　others；　being　scarce　able　to　drag　along　their　limbs；　sit　on　the　ground　about　him。　　Greenhill；　eyeing　the　prostrate　man；　said　slowly；　〃I　have　seen　the　same　done　before；　boys；　and　it　tasted　like　pork。〃
  Vetch；　hearing　his　savage　comrade　give　utterance　to　a　thought　all　had　secretly　cherished；　speaks　out；　crying；　〃It　would　be　murder　to　do　it；　and　then；　perhaps　we　couldn't　eat　it。〃
  〃Oh；〃　said　Gabbett；　with　a　grin；　〃I'll　warrant　you　that；　but　you　must　all　have　a　hand　in　it。〃
  Gabbett；　Sanders　and　Greenhill　then　go　aside；　and　presently　Sanders；　coming　to　the　Crow；　said；　〃He　consented　to　act　as　flogger。　　He　deserves　it。〃
  〃So　did　Gabbett；　for　that　matter；〃　shudders　Vetch。
  〃Ay；　but　Bodenham's　feet　are　sore；〃　said　Sanders；　〃and　'tis　a　pity　to　leave　him。〃
  Having　no　fire；　they　make　a　little　breakwind；　and　Vetch；　half…dozing　behind　this　at　about　three　in　the　morning；　hears　someone　cry　out　〃Christ！〃　and　awakes；　sweating　ice。
  No　one　but　Gabbett　and　Greenhill　would　eat　that　night。　　That　savage　pair；　however；　make　a　fire；　fling　ghastly　fragments　on　the　embers；　and　eat　the　broil　before　it　is　right　warm。　　In　the　morning　the　frightful　carcase　is　divided。　　That　day's　march　takes　place　in　silence；　and　at　midday　halt　Cornelius　volunteers　to　carry　the　billy；　affecting　great　restoration　from　the　food。　　Vetch　gives　it　to　him；　and　in　half　an　hour　afterwards　Cornelius　is　missing。　　Gabbett　and　Greenhill　pursue　him　in　vain；　and　return　with　curses。　　〃He'll　die　like　a　dog；〃　said　Greenhill；　〃alone　in　the　bush。〃　Jemmy　Vetch；　with　his　intellect　acute　as　ever；　thinks　that　Cornelius　may　prefer　such　a　death；　but　says　nothing。
  The　twelfth　morning　dawns　wet　and　misty；　but　Vetch；　seeing　the　provision　running　short；　strives　to　be　cheerful；　telling　stories　of　men　who　have　escaped　greater　peril。　　Vetch　feels　with　dismay　that　he　is　the　weakest　of　the　party；　but　has　some　sort　of　ludicro…horrible　consolation　in　remembering　that　he　is　also　the　leanest。　　They　come　to　a　creek　that　afternoon；　and　look；　until　nightfall；　in　vain　for　a　crossing…place。　　The　next　day　Gabbett　and　Vetch　swim　across；　and　Vetch　directs　Gabbett　to　cut　a　long　sapling；　which；　being　stretched　across　the　water；　is　seized　by　Greenhill　and　the　Moocher；　who　are　dragged　over。
  〃What　would　you　do　without　me？〃　said　the　Crow　with　a　ghastly　grin。
  They　cannot　kindle　a　fire；　for　Greenhill；　who　carries　the　tinder；　has　allowed　it　to　get　wet。　　The　giant　swings　his　axe　in　savage　anger　at　enforced　cold；　and　Vetch　takes　an　opportunity　to　remark　privately　to　him　what　a　big　man　Greenhill　is。
  On　the　fourteenth　day　they　can　scarcely　crawl；　and　their　limbs　pain　them。　Greenhill；　who　is　the　weakest；　sees　Gabbett　and　the　Moocher　go　aside　to　consult；　and　crawling　to　the　Crow；　whimpers：　〃For　God's　sake；　Jemmy；　don't　let　'em　murder　me！〃
  〃I　can't　help　you；〃　says　Vetch；　looking　about　in　terror。　〃Think　of　poor　Tom　Bodenham。〃
  〃But　he　was　no　murderer。　　If　they　kill　me；　I　shall　go　to　hell　with　Tom's　blood　on　my　soul。〃　He　writhes　on　the　ground　in　sickening　terror；　and　Gabbett　arriving；　bids　Vetch　bring　wood　for　the　fire。　　Vetch；　going；　sees　Greenhill　clinging　to　wolfish　Gabbett's　knees；　and　Sanders　calls　after　him；　〃You　will　hear　it　presently；　Jem。〃
  The　nervous　Crow　puts　his　hand　to　his　ears；　but　is　conscious　of　a　dull　crash　and　a　groan。　　When　he　comes　back；　Gabbett　is　putting　on　the　dead　man's　shoes；　which　are　better　than　his　own。
  〃We'll　stop　here　a　day　or　so　and　rest；〃　said　he；　〃now　we've　got　provisions。〃
  Two　more　days　pass；　and　the　three；　eyeing　each　other　suspiciously；　resume　their　march。　　The　third　daythe　sixteenth　of　their　awful　journey　such　portions　of　the　carcase　as　they　have　with　them　prove　unfit　to　eat。　They　look　into　each　other's　famine…sharpened　faces；　and　wonder　〃who's　next？〃
  〃We　must　all　die　together；〃　said　Sanders　quickly；　〃before　anything　else　must　happen。〃
  Vetch　marks　the　terror　concealed　in　the　words；　and　when　the　dreaded　giant　is　out　of　earshot；　says；　〃For　God's　sake；　let's　go　on　alone；　Alick。　You　see　what　sort　of　a　cove　that　Gabbett　ishe'd　kill　his　father　before　he'd　fast　one　day。〃
  They　made　for　the　bush；　but　the　giant　turned　and　strode　towards　them。　Vetch　skipped　nimbly　on　one　side；　but　Gabbett　struck　the　Moocher　on　the　forehead　with　the　axe。　　〃Help！　　Jem；　help！〃　cried　the　victim；　cut；　but　not　fatally；　and　in　the　strength　of　his　desperation　tore　the　axe　from　the　monster　who　bore　it；　and　flung　it　to　Vetch。　　〃Keep　it；　Jemmy；〃　he　cried；　〃let's　have　no　more　murder　done！〃
  They　fare　again　through　the　horrible　bush　until　nightfall；　when　Vetch；　in　a　strange　voice；　called　the　giant　to　him。
  〃He　must　die。〃
  〃Either　you　or　he；〃　laughs　Gabbett。　　〃Give　me　the　axe。〃
  〃No；　no；〃　said　the　Crow；　his　thin；　malignant　face　distorted　by　a　horrible　resolution。　　〃I'll　keep　the　axe。　　Stand　back！　You　shall　hold　him；　and　I'll　do　the　job。〃
  Sanders；　seeing　them　approach；　knew　his　end　was　come；　and　submitted；　crying；　〃Give　me　half　an　hour　to　pray　for　myself。〃　They　consent；　and　the　bewildered　wretch　knelt　down　and　folded　his　hands　like　a　child。　His　big；　stupid　face　worked　with　emotion。　　His　great　cracked　lips　moved　in　desperate　agony。　　He　wagged　his　head　from　side　to　side；　in　pitiful　confusion　of　his　brutalized　senses。　　〃I　can't　think　o'　the　words；　Jem！〃
  〃Pah；〃　snarled　the　cripple；　swinging　the　axe；　〃we　can't　starve　here　all　night。〃
  Four　days　had　passed；　and　the　two　survivors　of　this　awful　journey　sat　watching　each　other。　　The　gaunt　giant；　his　eyes　gleaming　with　hate　and　hunger；　sat　sentinel　over　the　dwarf。　　The　dwarf；　chuckling　at　his　superior　sagacity；　clutched　the　fatal　axe。　　For　two　days　they　had　not　spoken　to　each　other。　　For　two　days　each　had　promised　himself　that　on　the　next　his　companion　must　sleepand　die。　　Vetch　comprehended　the　devilish　scheme　of　the　monster　who　had　entrapped　five　of　his　fellow…beings　to　aid　him　by　their　deaths　to　his　own　safety；　and　held　aloof。　Gabbett　watched　to　snatch　the　weapon　from　his　companion；　and　make　the　odds　even　once　and　for　ever。　　In　the　day…time　they　travelled　on；　seeking　each　a　pretext　to　creep　behind　the　other。　　In　the　night…time　when　they　feigned　slumber；　each　stealthily　raising　a　head　caught　the　wakeful　glance　of　his　companion。　　Vetch　felt　his　strength　deserting　him；　and　his　brain　overpowered　by　fatigue。　　Surely　the　giant；　muttering；　gesticulating；　and　slavering　at　the　mouth；　was　on　the　road　to　madness。　　Would　the　monster　find　opportunity　to　rush　at　him；　and；　braving　the　blood…stained　axe；　kill　him　by　main　force？　or　would　he　sleep；　and　be　himself　a　victim？　Unhappy　Vetch！　　It　is　the　terrible　privilege　of　insanity　to　be　sleepless。
  On　the　fifth　day；　Vetch；　creeping　behind　a　tree；　takes　off　his　belt；　and　makes　a　noose。　　He　will　hang　himself。　　He　gets　one　end　of　the　belt　over　a　bough；　and　then　his　cowardice　bids　him　pause。　　Gabbett　approaches；　he　tries　to　evade　him；　and　steal　away　into　the　bush。　　In　vain。　The　insatiable　giant；　ravenous　with　famine；　and　sustained　by　madness；　is　not　to　be　shaken　off。　　Vetch　tries　to　run；　but　his　legs　bend　under　him。　The　axe　that　has　tried　to　drink　so　much　blood　feels　heavy　as　lead。　He　will　fling　it　away。　　Nohe　dares　not。　　Night　falls　again。　　He　must　rest；　or　go　mad。　　His　limbs　are　powerless。　　His　eyelids　are　glued　together。　He　sleeps　as　he　stands。　　This　horrible　thing　must　be　a　dream。　He　is　at　Port　Arthur；　or　will　wake　on　his　pallet　in　the　penny　lodging…house　he　slept　at　when　a　boy。　　Is　that　the　Deputy　come　to　wake　him　to　the　torment　of　living？　It　is　not　timesurely　not　time　yet。　　He　sleepsand　the　giant；　grinning　with　ferocious　joy；　approaches　on　clumsy　tiptoe　and　seizes　the　coveted　axe。
  On　the　north　coast　of　Van　Diemen's　Land　is　a　place　called　St　Helen's　Point；　and　a　certain　skipper；　being　in　want　of　fresh　water；　landing　there　with　a　boat's　crew；　found　on　the　banks　of　the　creek　a　gaunt　and　blood…stained　man；　clad　in　tattered　yellow；　who　carried　on　his　back　an　axe　and　a　bundle。　　When　the　sailors　came　within　sight　of　him；　he　made　signs　to　them　to　approach；　and；　opening　his　bundle　with　much　ceremony；　offered　them　some　of　its　contents。　　Filled　with　horror　at　what　the　maniac　displayed；　they　seized　and　bound　him。　　At　Hobart　Town　he　was　recognized　as　the　only　survivor　of　the　nine　desperadoes　who　had　escaped　from　Colonel　Arthur's　〃Natural　Penitentiary〃。
  END　OF　BOOK　THE　THIRD
  BOOK　IV。NORFOLK　ISLAND。　　1846。
  CHAPTER　I。
  EXTRACTED　FROM　THE　DIARY　OF　THE　REV。　JAMES　NORTH。
  Bathurst；　February　11th；　1846。
  In　turning　over　the　pages　of　my　journal；　to　note　the　good　fortune　that　has　just　happened　to　me；　I　am　struck　by　the　utter　desolation　of　my　life　for　the　last　seven　years。
  Can　it　be　possible　that　I；　James　North；　the　college…hero；　the　poet；　the　prizeman；　the　Heaven　knows　what　else；　have　been　content　to　live　on　at　this　dreary　spotan　animal；　eating　and　drinking；　for　tomorro