The morning call., 1893-03-12

ever at sea. Your hands are like a
woman's."
Hes a deuced good looking chap, doe
tor" said Captain Barrett in another aside.
Plump as partridge, by CAD! What runs
a chan 10 fat down in yOur hold. captain ?"
what have you come to sea for% said
the captain, speaking with severity whose
forced note my ear could not miss. Indeed,
he seemed to tnd a sort of pleasure in LOOK
ing at me.
mania, sir, " | answered.
what names 80
1 was ready for him. For weeks I had
been rehearsing too diligently the part l
was now playing not TO be ready.
"Satchell, sir"
"Where do they live ?"
"At Hobart Town"
whats their address, boy9"
81 don't know, sir. I'll find out when I
arrive"
The doctor grinned gravely
'ArriveW cried the captain. "how do you
know I'll all Ow yOu 10 arrive, as you call Il?
Arrive. you monkey! you've committed
felony you We broken into private premises :.
for all can tell you may have broached the
cargo of the ship. There are men in that
prison down there" said he, pointing to the
main hatch. who are being transp sported for
life for smaller crimes"
Pm sorry, sir. | would do nothing
wrong. l will gladly pay for MY passage
with my labor il you will give me work
such work as | can do"
The doctor put his hand on the COM
mander's arm and whispered in his ear.
Captain Barrett exclaimed, "If you're salts
fed with the lads account of himself. Cap
tain Sutherland, he shall wait upon me if
you like"
'What work have you for two seryants?"
exclaimed the doctor.
Il like his pluck, dye know" answered
Captain Barrett, "and just now lie happens
to be rather lriendess. Elliee."
The doctor looked annoyed and walked
"Where do you come from?" asked the
commander.
London. sir"
WHO are your peop'eP" Again I hung
my head.
said the doctor. Take it that he has
brought great grief and distress upon re-
spectacle family by his mysterious disap-
pearance. don't believe for moment"
continued he, eyIng me sternly, "that he
has friends at Hobart Town. It's just an
ordinary runaway case. lie may have
robbed some kind employer. perhaps de-
frauded ms own father. His clothes are
new and good. Where did you get the
money to buy these clothes with ?' lie
asked. | kept my head hung. LADS of your
sort" he continued get hold of cheap ro-
mancing works-vilP, lying fictions-books
which represent Jack Sheppard as greater
advance till they end there" said he, point
ing as Captain Sutherland had to the main
hatch. Down therr. weighted with irons,
branded as criminals, leaving their native
country forever, expelled by the Just laws
OF an outraged community are many men
who began as you have begun, nay, who
may have started on their downward career
with a great deal more Of modesty than you
have exhibited"
Captain Barrett let his eyeglass fall
whlstled softly and lounged aft to the
Wheel
All this while the decks had remained
comparatively deserted. just at this mo-
ment boatswain's mate tuned up his
whistle and number of seamen came out
Of the fOrecastle and went TO work In yarious
parts oil the ship. The doctor continued to
lecture me; but was looking at the strange,
grim scene of decks and did not heed him
l on would have thought at sight of the bar
rlcades that the ship was full of wild beasts,
the man-eatlng and raVening creatures took
the air IN the space inclOsed by the savage,
irOn-studded briStling fencewOrk.
Suddenly the sentry at the main hatch
shifted his figure as though TO a sudden call
10 attention. He guarded a door at the
extremity OF short wooden passage, broad
enough to allow one person to pass through
at a time. A man clothed as a convict
stepped through this door. On perceiying
him the doctor broke off ana went to the
brass poop rail and overhung il, gazing
eagerly. n SPcOnu ana Lnlfd convict ap-
peared, then a fourth; +; this man held a fiddle
in one hand and a bow in the other
And now heard a sound of heavy clank-
ing footballs, as though long end of chain
cable was being dragged along the deck,
and one after another, TO the number OF
perhaps seventy or eighty, issued the con-
victs. every man saving the first four wear
Ing iron rings and chains upon his ankles,
the chains triced up to the waist They
were clothed in the same garb l had OBJ
served on board the Warrior; dingy sort
OF gray striped with red and a kind of
Scotch cap. The convicts who had led the
way cried out sharply; they delivered their
orders last and fierce. like drill-sergeant
savage with yoked recruits. The fellows
ranked themselves into a line with some
thing Of the discipline of soldiers; then the
fellow who held the fiddle put it into his
neck and began to screw out march.
''Attentionl Left turn" shouted one the
unshackle led convcts. Quick maTchv'
The fiddle PLAYED aud away stepped the
line OF men, all keeping time to the music.
falterlng but little to the movement OF the
ship, and their irons clanked and their
chains ratified as they tramped.
l lost all sense Of my situation when l
saw those eonvicts. | made step to the
side o. the doctor, anu my eyes seemed on
IRE as gazed. Tom was not one of them,