athered round, warming their numbed hands and
exchanging jokes on the subject of their escape.

"Now then," exclaimed their leader, as the fire began to burn clear on
one side, "make a spit, some of you, and bring along that turkey. You
don't expect a party of gentlemen to eat it raw like a pack of starving
dogs, I suppose?"

Some of these jail-birds seemed to have a wonderful knack of making the
most of any material which might come to hand. Utilizing some pieces
of wreck-wood, shaped roughly with the clasp-knife, they rigged up a
kind of spit, which promised at least to prevent the necessity of our
devouring the turkey raw. At the same time Lewis took the dipper from
the boat, and placed it in such a position that it caught the thin
trickle of fresh water which, as has already been mentioned, ran down
one side of the rock.

I thought then, and have done so many a time since, how little the
unknown person who packed that hamper imagined how and by whom the
provisions which it contained would be consumed! Possibly it was the
gift of the wife of some gentleman farmer, intended as Christmas cheer
for some relative in the town. Now, instead of reaching its
destination in the ordinary manner, it was supplying the needs of a
band of outlaws in the fastness of a sea cavern.

There was nothing particularly appetizing about the half-cooked meat
divided up with the big blade of a pocket-knife, and subsequently
conveyed to the mouth with the fingers; but I myself felt ravenous,
after the riding, tramping, and rowing in the cold night air. I was
glad enough to receive my portion of the bird, and to eat it without
the accompaniment of bread or even salt. The water in the dipper was
heated over the fire, and wine added from the remaining bottle. The
negus had, to be sure, a brackish flavour, but it sent a glow of warmth
through our chilled bodies, and when the bowl was emptied a second brew
was demanded.

At length the strange meal ended, and Rodwood ordered the lamp to be
extinguished.

"It won't burn for ever," he said, "and we may want the light before
we've finished."

With their faces illumined only with the flicker of the fire, the
convicts gathered round to get as much warmth as possible, Woodley and
I being forced to join the circle for the same reason; while old Joey
retired to a corner, and there crunched up the bones and fragments
which had been flung to him by the men.

Being but a boy, I think I was t