a conspiracy among the convicts to murder the night officer and
make their escape in a body. I was not considered "safe" for the job,
and knew nothing of it until it had miscarried. The chief conspirator
was my friend the "cracksman," who made tools out of portions of his
bedstead, that opened not only the lock of our own cell, but that of
every other cell in the prison, if required. The prisoners were
generally in couples in each cell at that time, and the plan agreed
upon was as follows: One of the convicts was an old man subject to
fits, and it was arranged that he was to feign a fit for the occasion;
the assistance of the night officer was to be called, who was to have
his "light put out" by the fellow prisoner of the one in fits, who was
a strong muscular fellow. Meanwhile the "cracksman," whose cell was
opposite, was to unlock the cell doors of all the prisoners in the
plot. This dark and desperate scheme was frustrated, however, by a
little lad, who had heard two of the convicts conversing about it. His
term of imprisonment expired on the day preceding the night fixed for
the accomplishment; and he gave information to the governor, who placed
officers with fire-arms in the ward all night. Next morning the
suspected prisoners were searched, and the lock-picking instruments
were found on the "cracksman," and there the affair ended. The only
result which followed the discovery of the plot, so far as I could
discover, was that we were removed from this prison to England rather
earlier than we otherwise should have been.

Previous to our removal, the governor, who was a very sensible man
compared with those under whom I was afterwards placed, told me that I
was about to be sent to England along with some of the worst characters
he had ever known; that they were all leaving the prison with the
character of conspirators, except myself; that he had given me the best
character he could give to any prisoner, and that he hoped and believed
I would reap the benefits attaching to good conduct, and be liberated
long before my companions. But I was not born under a fortunate star.
Almost all my companions had longer sentences than I had. Bob and the
cracksman had two years longer; but as they managed to secure the
convict's prize, they were sent out to Australia, and were liberated, I
believe, two years before me. Some prisoners with sentences twice as
long as mine were also liberated earlier than I was; and I remember
alluding