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tinging her cheeks。 〃It is really most considerate of you。 Won't it be nice； Sylvia； to go with Mr。 Frere and mamma to Hobart Town？〃
〃Mr。 Frere；〃 says Sylvia； coming from out a corner of the room； 〃I am very sorry for what I said just now。 Will you forgive me？〃
She asked the question in such a prim； old…fashioned way； standing in front of him； with her golden locks streaming over her shoulders； and her hands clasped on her black silk apron （Julia Vickers had her own notions about dressing her daughter）； that Frere was again inclined to laugh。
〃Of course I'll forgive you； my dear；〃 he said。 〃You didn't mean it； I know。〃
〃Oh； but I did mean it； and that's why I'm sorry。 I am a very naughty girl sometimes； though you wouldn't think so〃 （this with a charming consciousness of her own beauty）； 〃especially with Roman history。 I don't think the Romans were half as brave as the Carthaginians； do you； Mr。 Frere？〃
Maurice； somewhat staggered by this question； could only ask； 〃Why not？〃
〃Well； I don't like them half so well myself；〃 says Sylvia； with feminine disdain of reasons。 〃They always had so many soldiers； though the others were so cruel when they conquered。〃
〃Were they？〃 says Frere。
〃Were they！ Goodness gracious； yes！ Didn't they cut poor Regulus's eyelids off； and roll him down hill in a barrel full of nails？ What do you call that； I should like to know？〃 and Mr。 Frere； shaking his red head with vast assumption of classical learning； could not but concede that that was not kind on the part of the Carthaginians。
〃You are a great scholar； Miss Sylvia；〃 he remarked； with a consciousness that this self…possessed girl was rapidly taking him out of his depth。
〃Are you fond of reading？〃
〃Very。〃
〃And what books do you read？〃
〃Oh； lots！ 'Paul and Virginia〃； and 'Paradise Lost'； and 'Shakespeare's Plays'； and 'Robinson Crusoe'； and 'Blair's Sermons'； and 'The Tasmanian Almanack'； and 'The Book of Beauty'； and 'Tom Jones'。〃
〃A somewhat miscellaneous collection； I fear；〃 said Mrs。 Vickers； with a sickly smileshe； like Gallio； cared for none of these things 〃but our little library is necessarily limited； and I am not a great reader。 John； my dear； Mr。 Frere would like another glass of brandy…and…water。 Oh； don't apologize； I am a soldier's wife； you know。 Sylvia； my love； say good…night to Mr。 Frere； and retire。〃
〃Good…night； Miss Sylvia。 Will you give me a kiss？〃
〃No！〃
〃Sylvia； don't be rude！〃
〃I'm not rude；〃 cries Sylvia； indignant at the way in which her literary confidence had been received。 〃He's rude！ I won't kiss you。 Kiss you indeed！ My goodness gracious！〃
〃Won't you； you little beauty？〃 cried Frere； suddenly leaning forward； and putting his arm round the child。 〃Then I must kiss you！〃
To his astonishment； Sylvia； finding herself thus seized and kissed despite herself； flushed scarlet； and； lifting up her tiny fist； struck him on the cheek with all her force。
The blow was so sudden； and the momentary pain so sharp； that Maurice nearly slipped into his native coarseness； and rapped out an oath。
〃My dear Sylvia！〃 cried Vickers； in tones of grave reproof。
But Frere laughed； caught both the child's hands in one of his own； and kissed her again and again； despite her struggles。 〃There！〃 he said； with a sort of triumph in his tone。 〃You got nothing by that； you see。〃
Vickers rose； with annoyance visible on his face； to draw the child away； and as he did so； she； gasping for breath； and sobbing with rage； wrenched her wrist free； and in a storm of childish passion struck her tormentor again and again。 〃Man！〃 she cried； with flaming eyes； 〃Let me go！ I hate you！ I hate you！ I hate you！〃
〃I am very sorry for this； Frere；〃 said Vickers； when the door was closed again。 〃I hope she did not hurt you。〃
〃Not she！ I like her spirit。 Ha； ha！ That's the way with women all the world over。 Nothing like showing them that they've got a master。〃
Vickers hastened to turn the conversation； and； amid recollections of old days； and speculations as to future prospects； the little incident was forgotten。 But when； an hour later； Mr。 Frere traversed the passage that led to his bedroom； he found himself confronted by a little figure wrapped in a shawl。 It was his childish enemy
〃I've waited for you； Mr。 Frere；〃 said she； 〃to beg pardon。 I ought not to have struck you； I am a wicked girl。 Don't say no； because I am； and if I don't grow better I shall never go to Heaven。〃
Thus addressing him； the child produced a piece of paper； folded like a letter； from beneath the shawl； and handed it to him。
〃What's this？〃 he asked。 〃Go back to bed； my dear； you'll catch cold。〃
〃It's a written apology； and I sha'n't catch cold； because I've got my stockings on。 If you don't accept it；〃 she added； with an arching of the brows； 〃it is not my fault。 I have struck you； but I apologize。 Being a woman； I can't offer you satisfaction in the usual way。〃
Mr。 Frere stifled the impulse to laugh； and made his courteous adversary a low bow。
〃I accept your apology； Miss Sylvia；〃 said he。
〃Then；〃 returned Miss Sylvia； in a lofty manner； 〃there is nothing more to be said； and I have the honour to bid you good…night； sir。〃
The little maiden drew her shawl close around her with immense dignity； and marched down the passage as calmly as though she had been Amadis of Gaul himself。
Frere； gaining his room choking with laughter； opened the folded paper by the light of the tallow candle； and read； in a quaint； childish hand：
SIR；I have struck you。 I apologize in writing。 Your humble servant to command； SYLVIA VICKERS。
〃I wonder what book she took that out of？〃 he said。 〃'Pon my word she must be a little cracked。 'Gad； it's a queer life for a child in this place； and no mistake。〃
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 commandanthis 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 first to have been correct； followed as a natural consequence。 Lieutenant Frere would be a more severe commandant than Major Vickers。 Now； severity had already reached its height； so far as he was concerned； so the unhappy man took a final resolutionhe would kill himself。 Before we exclaim against the sin of such a determination； let us endeavour to set before us what the sinner had suffered during the past six years。
We have already a notion of what life on a convict ship means； and we have seen through what a furnace Rufus Dawes had passed before he set foot on the barren shore of Hell's Gates。 But to appreciate in its intensity the agony he suffered since that time； we must multiply the infamy of the 'tween decks of the Malabar a hundred fold。 In that prison was at least some ray of light。 All were not abominable； all were not utterly lost to shame and manhood。 Stifling though the prison； infamous the companionship； terrible the memory of pas