about his neck, made for
the door. The moment for which the convict's accomplice had waited
approached. She hung upon him with all her weight. Her long hair swept
across his face, her warm breath was on his cheek, her dress exposed
her round, smooth shoulder. He, intoxicated, conquered, had half-turned
back, when suddenly the rich crimson died away from her lips, leaving
them an ashen grey colour. Her eyes closed in agony; loosing her hold
of him, she staggered to her feet, pressed her hands upon her bosom, and
uttered a sharp cry of pain.

The fever which had been on her two days, and which, by a strong
exercise of will, she had struggled against--encouraged by the violent
excitement of the occasion--had attacked her at this supreme moment.
Deathly pale and sick, she reeled to the side of the cabin. There was
another shot, and a violent clashing of arms; and Frere, leaving the
miserable woman to her fate, leapt out on to the deck.

CHAPTER X. EIGHT BELLS.

At seven o'clock there had been also a commotion in the prison. The news
of the fever had awoke in the convicts all that love of liberty which
had but slumbered during the monotony of the earlier part of the voyage.
Now that death menaced them, they longed fiercely for the chance of
escape which seemed permitted to freemen. "Let us get out!" they said,
each man speaking to his particular friend. "We are locked up here to
die like sheep." Gloomy faces and desponding looks met the gaze of each,
and sometimes across this gloom shot a fierce glance that lighted up
its blackness, as a lightning-flash renders luridly luminous the indigo
dullness of a thunder-cloud. By and by, in some inexplicable way, it
came to be understood that there was a conspiracy afloat, that they
were to be released from their shambles, that some amongst them had been
plotting for freedom. The 'tween decks held its foul breath in wondering
anxiety, afraid to breathe its suspicions. The influence of this
predominant idea showed itself by a strange shifting of atoms. The
mass of villainy, ignorance, and innocence began to be animated with
something like a uniform movement. Natural affinities came together,
and like allied itself to like, falling noiselessly into harmony, as the
pieces of glass and coloured beads in a kaleidoscope assume mathematical
forms. By seven bells it was found that the prison was divided into
three parties--the desperate, the timid, and the cautious. These three
p