cuss on this side of
perdition. You can shoot me if you like, but neither you nor the
four best men in Van Diemen's Land can put them irons on me. I am a
free citizen of the Great United States, and a free man I'll be or
die. I'll walk back to Hobarton, if you like, with these men, for I
guess that greasy old whaler has gone to sea again by this time, and
we'll get another ship there as well as at Launceston.'

"Captain Massey did not like to venture on shooting us off-hand, so
at last he told the constables to put up their handcuffs and start
with us for Hobarton.

"After we had travelled awhile Jonathan cooled down and began to talk
to the constables. He asked them how they liked the island, how long
they had been in it, if it was a good country for farming, how they
were getting along, and what pay they got for being constables. One
of them said: 'The island is pretty good in parts, but it's too
mountaynyus; we ain't getting along at all, and we won't have much
chance to do any good until our time is out.'

"'What on airth do you mean by saying "until you time is out?" Ain't
your time your own?' asked Jonathan.

"'No, indeed. I see you don't understand. We are Government men,
and we ain't done our time. We were sent out from England.'

"'Oh! you were sent out, were you? Now, I see, that means you are
penitentiary men, and ought to be in gaol. Jack, look here. This
kind of thing will never do. You and me are two honest citizens of
the United States, and here we are, piloted through Van Diemen's Land
by two convicts, and Britishers at that. This team has got to be
changed right away.'

"He seized both carbines and handed them to me; then he handcuffed
the constables, who were so taken aback they never said a word. Then
Jonathan said, 'This is training day. Now, march.'

"The constables walked in front, me and Jonathan behind, shouldering
the guns. In this way we marched until we sighted Hobarton, but the
two convicts were terribly afraid to enter the city as prisoners;
they said they were sure to be punished, would most likely be sent
into a chain gang, and would soon be strangled in the barracks at
night for having been policemen. We could see they were really
afraid, so we took off the handcuffs and gave them back the carbines.

"Before entering the city we found that the whaler had left the
harbour, and felt sure we would not be detained long, as nothing
could be proved against us. Whe