hipped out of the island."

This, of course, was mere bravado on the part of the Commandant. North
knew well that he would never dare to attempt any such act of violence,
but the insult stung him like the cut of a whip. He made a stride
towards the Commandant, as though to seize him by the throat, but,
checking himself in time, stood still, with clenched hands, flashing
eyes, and beard that bristled.

The two men looked at each other, and presently Burgess's eyes fell
before those of the chaplain.

"Miserable blasphemer," says North, "I tell you that you shall not flog
the boy."

Burgess, white with rage, rang the bell that summoned his convict
servant.

"Show Mr. North out," he said, "and go down to the Barracks, and tell
Troke that Kirkland is to have a hundred lashes to-morrow. I'll show you
who's master here, my good sir."

"I'll report this to the Government," said North, aghast. "This is
murderous."

"The Government may go to----, and you, too!" roared Burgess. "Get out!"
And God's viceregent at Port Arthur slammed the door.

North returned home in great agitation. "They shall not flog that boy,"
he said. "I'll shield him with my own body if necessary. I'll report
this to the Government. I'll see Sir John Franklin myself. I'll have the
light of day let into this den of horrors." He reached his cottage, and
lighted the lamp in the little sitting-room. All was silent, save that
from the adjoining chamber came the sound of Meekin's gentlemanly snore.
North took down a book from the shelf and tried to read, but the letters
ran together. "I wish I hadn't taken that brandy," he said. "Fool that I
am."

Then he began to walk up and down, to fling himself on the sofa, to
read, to pray. "Oh, God, give me strength! Aid me! Help me! I struggle,
but I am weak. O, Lord, look down upon me!"

To see him rolling on the sofa in agony, to see his white face, his
parched lips, and his contracted brow, to hear his moans and muttered
prayers, one would have thought him suffering from the pangs of some
terrible disease. He opened the book again, and forced himself to read,
but his eyes wandered to the cupboard. There lurked something that
fascinated him. He got up at length, went into the kitchen, and found
a packet of red pepper. He mixed a teaspoonful of this in a pannikin of
water and drank it. It relieved him for a while.

"I must keep my wits for to-morrow. The life of that lad depends upon
it. Meekin, too, will sus