ze how great his escape had been. The thought that he
might have had to spend the rest of his life herding with such men
as these, made him feel almost sick; and he thanked God more
fervently, even, than he had done when the verdict was returned
which restored him to his liberty, that he had been saved from such
a fate.

A hundred and eighty convicts came on board. They were in charge of
ten warders, with loaded muskets, and an hour later a party of
twenty marines, under the charge of an officer, also embarked. They
were on their way out to join a ship in Australian waters, and were
to aid the warders in keeping the convicts in good order.

The wind being favourable, no time was lost after the marines had
come on board. The moorings were cast off and sails hoisted, and
the Paramatta made her way against the tide to the mouth of the
Medway; and there dropped her anchor to wait until the tide began
to ebb, for the wind was so light that little would have been
gained by an attempt to proceed at once. Sail was made again as
soon as tide turned and, on turning out next morning at daylight,
for he had not yet been assigned to a watch, Reuben found that the
ship was lying at anchor in the Downs.

Two or three hours passed.

"What are we doing here, Bill?"

"We are waiting for the passengers. They are all coming on board
here. I expect that big lugger you see, running out direct for us,
'as got them on board."

"I wonder they didn't come on board when we started," Reuben said.
"I should think it would have been pleasanter than coming all the
way down to Dover by coach."

"So I should think, my lad; but you see, it ain't every time as a
ship has the luck we've had. It's a long job coming down to the
Downs, if the wind don't serve. We might have been beating about
there, at the mouth of the Thames, for a week. So you see, most of
these 'longshore chaps like to send their traps on board while the
vessel's in the docks, and then to come down here and stop till she
comes round."

In a few minutes the lugger was alongside, the gangway was lowered,
and the passengers began to come on board. They were, as the sailor
had said they would be, some ten in number. There were six men,
four ladies, and three children, the latter not counting as regular
passengers, as they were stowed away in their parents' cabins.

The convicts who were on deck looked over the bulwarks, and cracked
coarse jokes among themselves, as the passengers