not entertain. A long and most anxious
discussion of the situation that night, Rex and Bowles taking the lead
by virtue of their superior resolution and experience, was productive of
absolutely no result except to place an additional damper upon their
already sufficiently depressed spirits. Bob said nothing, but, like the
queen's parrot, he thought the more. Brook frankly acknowledged himself
quite unequal to the emergency, as did Dale, but both cheerfully stated
their readiness to do anything they might be directed to do. And here
it may be stated that misfortune had been gradually doing for the
latter--as it does for so many people--what prosperity had utterly
failed to do, it had been driving out of him that peevishness of temper
and that utter selfishness of character which had been his most
disagreeable characteristics, and it had developed in their place an
almost cheerful resignation to circumstances and a readiness to think
and act for others which promised to make of him eventually a man whom
it would be possible to both respect and esteem.

The following day brought with it a full revelation of the state of
things which our friends would have to expect in the future; Captain
Staunton and Lance being taken out of their confinement only to be
employed all day in fetters upon work of the most laborious description,
and locked up again at night in the loathsome Black Hole; while for the
benefit of the whole party--and for the rest of the prisoners also, for
that matter--Ralli had provided himself with a "colt," which he applied
with merciless severity to their shoulders whenever the humour seized
him. This last indignity was almost greater than they could bear; but
Lance saw that the time was not yet ripe for action, and that there was
really nothing for it but to bear everything in dignified silence at
present and with as much fortitude as they could summon to their aid,
and he managed to whisper as much to Bob, and to request him to "pass
the word" to the others, which at intervals during the day Bob did.
Before the day was over most of the prisoners, excepting those belonging
to the _Galatea_ party, had had enough of Ralli's colt, and signified
their readiness to join the "Brotherhood;" they were accordingly sworn
in at nightfall on their return from work.

This most unfortunate state of affairs had prevailed for nearly a
fortnight, during which Ralli's arrangements for the entire completion
of the schoon