d for fourteen years.
Some thought his punishment light, but they little knew what his
sentence meant in those days. The miller and his wife were thankful
that their son was not to be hung. They were allowed to see Ben before
he was sent off. They would not have known him in his yellow dress, and
with his hair cropped short, and chains on his arms and legs. This
sight caused them more grief than even the thought that he was to be
sent away from them for so many years. Poor Mary also went to see him.
He shocked her by the way he spoke of those who had tried him, and at
James Grey for leaving him in the lurch. Mary was thankful to find that
James's name had not once been mentioned during the trial, and that he
was not suspected of having been mixed up in the matter. In vain she
spoke of religion to her brother. He turned a deaf ear to all she said.
With grief at her heart she bade him good-bye, and her grief was
greater because he seemed so hardened and indifferent to his fate.

So Ben Page was carried on board a convict ship, with nearly three
hundred other men convicted of all sorts of crimes. They were placed
under strict discipline on board ship. Soldiers with loaded arms stood
over them, and if any one broke the rules, he was severely punished.
Only a few were allowed to come on deck at a time to enjoy the fresh air
and the sight of the sea. They had books, however; and the surgeon, who
was a Christian man, taught those who wished to learn to read and write.
He also begged them to repent, and to turn to Jesus Christ that their
sins might be forgiven.

Thus day after day the convict ship sailed on. Once they were in a
fearful storm, and the convicts were all kept shut up below. The big
ship was tossed about, and lightning struck one of her masts and set her
on fire, and the water washed over her and carried away her boats, and a
leak was sprung, and all thought that they were going to the bottom.
Some got into their beds and shut their eyes, as if they could shut out
the death they thought was coming. Others tried to break on deck; a few
broke out into loud, wild songs; and some, but very, very few, strove to
pray; and even fewer still could pray. Those who put off prayer till
death comes close to them, find, when too late, that they cannot pray.
Those who had talked the loudest, and boasted of their ill deeds, now
showed themselves the greatest cowards.

In a short time the fire was got under, and th