was going, offered to help towards paying his passage money; but
this offer Reuben had gratefully, though firmly, declined to
accept.

"Well, Reuben, I wish you every good luck on your adventure," he
said. "The place you are going to will be a great country, one of
these days; and you are just the fellow to make your way in it. I
am sorry you wouldn't let me help you; because I am in a way, you
know, at the bottom of this business which has driven you from
home."

"Thank you, squire, for your kind intention," Reuben answered; "but
I am so much in your debt, now, that I would rather not go further
into it. I am old enough now to make my own way in life. My only
regret in the matter is that I cannot persuade my mother to go with
me."

"I think she is right, Reuben," the squire replied. "You can
transplant a young tree, easily enough; but you can't an old one.
Somehow they won't take root in new soil.

"Well, lad, I wish you every success. I suppose I shall hear
through Shrewsbury, from time to time, how you are going on."

As Reuben walked along the dock, he stopped to read the notices of
their destination, affixed to the shrouds of most of the vessels.
He had already gone on board three or four, which were loading for
Australia, but in none was there a vacancy for a carpenter. He
stopped before a fine-looking barque, to which no notice was
attached.

"Where is she going to?" he asked a sailor, who was passing along
the gangway to the shore.

"She's bound for Sydney," the sailor said. "She warps out of dock
tonight, and takes on board a cargo of prisoners in the Medway."

"Do you mean men sentenced for transportation?" Reuben asked.

"Yes," the man said, "and I wish she had any other sort of cargo. I
have been out with such a load before, and I would as soon go with
a cargo of wild beasts."

Reuben felt a sudden chill, as he thought how narrow had been his
escape of forming one of a similar party. However, he stepped on
board, and went up to the mate, who was superintending the cargo.

"Do you want a carpenter for the voyage out?"

"A carpenter!" the mate repeated. "Well yes, we do want a
carpenter. The man who was to have gone has been taken ill. But you
are too young for the berth. Why, you don't look more than
eighteen; besides, you don't look like a carpenter."

"I am a mill wright," Reuben said, "and am capable of doing any
ordinary jobs, either in carpentering or smith work. I have
testimonials h