en, from
"Sarah Rex", stating briefly that she had heard of his goodness, that
the enclosed letter was for her husband, and that if it was against the
rules to give it him, she begged it might be returned to her unread. Of
course Meekin gave it to Rex, who next morning handed to Meekin a most
touching pious production, begging him to read it. Meekin did so, and
any suspicions he may have had were at once disarmed. He was ignorant of
the fact that the pious letter contained a private one intended for John
Rex only, which letter John Rex thought so highly of, that, having read
it twice through most attentively, he ate it.

The plan of escape was after all a simple one. Sarah Purfoy was to
obtain from Blicks the moneys he held in trust, and to embark the sum
thus obtained in any business which would suffer her to keep a vessel
hovering round the southern coast of Van Diemen's Land without exciting
suspicion. The escape was to be made in the winter months, if possible,
in June or July. The watchful vessel was to be commanded by some
trustworthy person, who was to frequently land on the south-eastern
side, and keep a look-out for any extraordinary appearance along the
coast. Rex himself must be left to run the gauntlet of the dogs and
guards unaided. "This seems a desperate scheme," wrote Rex, "but it
is not so wild as it looks. I have thought over a dozen others, and
rejected them all. This is the only way. Consider it well. I have my own
plan for escape, which is easy if rescue be at hand. All depends upon
placing a trustworthy man in charge of the vessel. You ought to know
a dozen such. I will wait eighteen months to give you time to make all
arrangements." The eighteen months had now nearly passed over, and
the time for the desperate attempt drew near. Faithful to his cruel
philosophy, John Rex had provided scape-goats, who, by their vicarious
agonies, should assist him to his salvation.

He had discovered that of the twenty men in his gang eight had already
determined on an effort for freedom. The names of these eight were
Gabbett, Vetch, Bodenham, Cornelius, Greenhill, Sanders, called the
"Moocher", Cox, and Travers. The leading spirits were Vetch and Gabbett,
who, with profound reverence, requested the "Dandy" to join. John Rex,
ever suspicious, and feeling repelled by the giant's strange eagerness,
at first refused, but by degrees allowed himself to appear to be
drawn into the scheme. He would urge these men to thei