settlement?'

"I said 'Yes,' and an odd guttural laugh broke from some of the men.

"'Well, mister,' continued the man Swallow, 'Norfolk Island was a
destination that didn't accord with our views. And what more d' ye
want me to say? Here we are, and we want our liberty, and we mean to
get it without any risk, and you're the man to help us.'

"'What do you want me to do?' said I, speaking boldly, and looking
about me steadily, for now I perceived exactly how it was with the
brig, and the worst had been explained and the whole mystery solved
when Swallow told me they were convicts; and likewise I had plenty of
time to screw my nerves up.

"Several men spoke at once on my asking the above question. Stevenson
roared out: 'Let Swallow man the jaw tackle, boys. One at a time, or
you'll addle the gent.'

"'This is what we want you to do,' said Swallow. 'There are scores of
islands in these seas, and we want you to carry us to them; heaving-to
off them one after another that we may pick and choose, some going
ashore here, and some there, for our game is to scatter. That's clear,
I hope.'

"'I understand you,' said I."

"Swallow seemed at a loss. Stevenson then said: 'But we shall want
nothing that's got a white settlement on it; nothing that's likely to
have a pennant flying near. We've got no fixed notions. We leave it to
you to raise the islands, and it'll be for us to select and take our
chance.'

"'There'll be charts aboard, I suppose?' said I.

"Instantly one of them stepped into a cabin and returned with a bag
full of charts. I turned them out upon the table and promptly came
across charts of the North and South Pacific oceans. These charts gave
me from the Philippines to Cape St. Lucas, and from the Eastern
Australian coast to away as far as 120 deg. W. longitude. The men did
not utter a word whilst I looked; I could hear their deep breathing,
mingled with the noise of a hard sucking of pipes. One of them who
looked through the skylight called down. Swallow silenced him with a
gesture of his fist.

"'Have you got what's wanted here, Mr. Grainger?' said Stevenson.

"'All that I shall want is here,' I answered.

"'A low growl of applause ran through the men.

"'Will you be able to light upon the islands that'll prove suitable
for us men to live on without risk until the opportunity comes in the
shape of vessels for us to get away?' said Swallow.

"'I'll do my best for you,' said I. 'I see your wants, and