CHAPTER VI. A LEAP IN THE DARK.

Two or three mornings after the arrival of the Ladybird, the solitary
prisoner of the Grummet Rock noticed mysterious movements along the
shore of the island settlement. The prison boats, which had put off
every morning at sunrise to the foot of the timbered ranges on the other
side of the harbour, had not appeared for some days. The building of a
pier, or breakwater, running from the western point of the settlement,
was discontinued; and all hands appeared to be occupied with the
newly-built Osprey, which was lying on the slips. Parties of soldiers
also daily left the Ladybird, and assisted at the mysterious work
in progress. Rufus Dawes, walking his little round each day, in vain
wondered what this unusual commotion portended. Unfortunately, no one
came to enlighten his ignorance.

A fortnight after this, about the 15th of December, he observed another
curious fact. All the boats on the island put off one morning to the
opposite side of the harbour, and in the course of the day a great smoke
arose along the side of the hills. The next day the same was repeated;
and on the fourth day the boats returned, towing behind them a huge
raft. This raft, made fast to the side of the Ladybird, proved to be
composed of planks, beams, and joists, all of which were duly hoisted
up, and stowed in the hold of the brig.

This set Rufus Dawes thinking. Could it possibly be that the
timber-cutting was to be abandoned, and that the Government had hit upon
some other method of utilizing its convict labour? He had hewn timber
and built boats, and tanned hides and made shoes. Was it possible that
some new trade was to be initiated? Before he had settled this point
to his satisfaction, he was startled by another boat expedition. Three
boats' crews went down the bay, and returned, after a day's absence,
with an addition to their number in the shape of four strangers and a
quantity of stores and farming implements. Rufus Dawes, catching
sight of these last, came to the conclusion that the boats had been to
Philip's Island, where the "garden" was established, and had taken off
the gardeners and garden produce. Rufus Dawes decided that the Ladybird
had brought a new commandant--his sight, trained by his half-savage
life, had already distinguished Mr. Maurice Frere--and that these
mysteries were "improvements" under the new rule. When he arrived at
this point of reasoning, another conjecture, assuming his