es which
he bent on the ground; so shame-faced and sad looking, and such a
contrast in his bearing to the recklessness of many of the other men,
that my father's heart was at once touched with pity for him.

"On the voyage he took every possible occasion of being kind to Birt,
and allowed him the privilege of being on deck all day instead of only
two hours like the rest of the convicts. He also lent him books,
encouraged him to talk of his troubles, and by degrees learned the whole
story of his misfortunes. Now, in doing this my father became fond of
him, for to bestow benefits on anyone is a sure way to make a friendly
feeling towards them, and as for Birt he would have done anything to
serve the captain and show his gratitude. Very soon this chance was
given to him.

"At night the convicts were all locked down under hatches and sentinels
placed over them. The men lay six in a berth, and it so happened that
one of these disclosed to Birt a plot that forty of them had made and
signed with their blood. Would he join them and have his share of the
prize?

"Now Birt dared not say no, for he feared for his life amongst those
desperate men.

"`Before I say that I will,' he replied, `I must know your plan. How is
it possible to seize the ship when such a good look-out is kept?'

"Then the convict told him all that had been settled by the mutineers.
At four o'clock when the hatches were raised most of the officers went
to their cabins, and there would be more than twenty convicts on deck
who were all in the plot. They would then knock down the sentinels, get
possession of the quarter-deck, and seize the firearms which were ready
loaded. They would next release their other comrades and alter the
course of the ship.

"`But what,' asked Birt, `will you do with the captain, officers, and
soldiers?'

"`We will kill the captain,' replied the wretch, `and put his head at
the main topgallant masthead--and we will put the first-mate's head at
the mizzen, and the boatswain's at the fore. The other convicts who are
not with us in the matter we shall put on shore at some island, and
leave them to shift for themselves, they are worth nothing. The ship is
a good prize, for the captain has a large sum of money on board to take
out for the East India Company. These things done, we shall kill the
great hog, and with plenty of drink we shall have a good time of it. Do
you join us?'

"Birt consented, for he dared not do ot