e! for liberty's sweet to every man."

"Good-bye, prisoners!" says Sylvia, waving her handkerchief; "and I hope
they won't catch you, too."

So, with cheers and waving of handkerchiefs, the boat departed.

In the emotion which the apparently disinterested conduct of John Rex
had occasioned the exiles, all earnest thought of their own position
had vanished, and, strange to say, the prevailing feeling was that of
anxiety for the ultimate fate of the mutineers. But as the boat grew
smaller and smaller in the distance, so did their consciousness of their
own situation grow more and more distinct; and when at last the boat had
disappeared in the shadow of the brig, all started, as if from a dream,
to the wakeful contemplation of their own case.

A council of war was held, with Mr. Frere at the head of it, and the
possessions of the little party were thrown into common stock. The salt
meat, flour, and tea were placed in a hollow rock at some distance from
the beach, and Mr. Bates was appointed purser, to apportion to each,
without fear or favour, his stated allowance. The goat was tethered with
a piece of fishing line sufficiently long to allow her to browse. The
cask of rum, by special agreement, was placed in the innermost recess
of the rock, and it was resolved that its contents should not be touched
except in case of sickness, or in last extremity. There was no lack of
water, for a spring ran bubbling from the rocks within a hundred yards
of the spot where the party had landed. They calculated that, with
prudence, their provisions would last them for nearly four weeks.

It was found, upon a review of their possessions, that they had among
them three pocket knives, a ball of string, two pipes, matches and a fig
of tobacco, fishing lines with hooks, and a big jack-knife which Frere
had taken to gut the fish he had expected to catch. But they saw with
dismay that there was nothing which could be used axe-wise among the
party. Mrs. Vickers had her shawl, and Bates a pea-jacket, but Frere
and Grimes were without extra clothing. It was agreed that each should
retain his own property, with the exception of the fishing lines, which
were confiscated to the commonwealth.

Having made these arrangements, the kettle, filled with water from the
spring, was slung from three green sticks over the fire, and a pannikin
of weak tea, together with a biscuit, served out to each of the party,
save Grimes, who declared himself unable to e