find us rough,
Mr. Meekin," he said, "but you'll find us 'all there' when we're wanted.
This is a little kingdom in itself."

"Like Beranger's?" asked Meekin, with a smile. Captain Burgess had never
heard of Beranger, but he smiled as if he had learnt his words by heart.

"Or like Sancho Panza's island," said North. "You remember how justice
was administered there?"

"Not at this moment, sir," said Burgess, with dignity. He had been often
oppressed by the notion that the Reverend Mr. North "chaffed" him. "Pray
help yourself to wine."

"Thank you, none," said North, filling a tumbler with water. "I have a
headache." His manner of speech and action was so awkward that a silence
fell upon the party, caused by each one wondering why Mr. North should
grow confused, and drum his fingers on the table, and stare everywhere
but at the decanter. Meekin--ever softly at his ease--was the first to
speak. "Have you many visitors, Captain Burgess?"

"Very few. Sometimes a party comes over with a recommendation from the
Governor, and I show them over the place; but, as a rule, we see no one
but ourselves."

"I asked," said Meekin, "because some friends of mine were thinking of
coming."

"And who may they be?"

"Do you know Captain Frere?"

"Frere! I should say so!" returned Burgess, with a laugh, modelled upon
Maurice Frere's own. "I was quartered with him at Sarah Island. So he's
a friend of yours, eh?"

"I had the pleasure of meeting him in society. He is just married, you
know."

"Is he?" said Burgess. "The devil he is! I heard something about it,
too."

"Miss Vickers, a charming young person. They are going to Sydney, where
Captain Frere has some interest, and Frere thinks of taking Port Arthur
on his way down."

"A strange fancy for a honeymoon trip," said North.

"Captain Frere takes a deep interest in all relating to convict
discipline," went on Meekin, unheeding the interruption, "and is anxious
that Mrs. Frere should see this place."

"Yes, one oughtn't to leave the colony without seeing it," says Burgess;
"it's worth seeing."

"So Captain Frere thinks. A romantic story, Captain Burgess. He saved
her life, you know."

"Ah! that was a queer thing, that mutiny," said Burgess. "We've got the
fellows here, you know."

"I saw them tried at Hobart Town," said Meekin. "In fact, the
ringleader, John Rex, gave me his confession, and I sent it to the
Bishop."

"A great rascal," put in North. "A dangerous, sch