"'It year '55 Crimean war was at its height, old convict sips largely used as transports Black Sea The government was compelled, therefore, to use smaller and less suitable vessels for sending out their prisoners The Gloria Scott Chinese tea-trade, but she was an old-fashioned, heavy-bowed, broad-beamed craft, new clippers had cut her out She was five-hundred-ton boat; and besides her thirty-eight jail-birds, she carried twenty-six of crew, eighteen soldiers, captain, three mates, doctor, chaplain, and four warders Nearly hundred souls were in her, all told, when we set said from Falmouth

"'The partitions cells convicts, instead of being of thick oak, as is usual in convict-ships, were quite thin and frail The man next , aft side, was one whom I had particularly noticed when we were led down the quay young man with clear, hairless face, long, thin nose, and rather nut-cracker jaws He carried his head very jauntily air, had swaggering style of walking, and was, above all else, remarkable extraordinary height I don't think any heads come up shoulder, and that have measured six and half feet strange among sad and weary faces one full of energy and resolution The sight of like fire in snow-storm glad, then, that my neighbour, and gladder still when, dead night, I heard whisper close to my ear, and found that he had managed to cut an opening board which separated us

"'"Hullo, chummy ! " said he, "what's , and you here for ? "

"'I answered him, and asked in turn who talking with

"I'm Jack Prendergast," said he, "and by God ! You'll learn to bless my name 've done with me "

"'I remembered hearing case, for one which had made an immense sensation country before my own arrest man of good family and of great ability, but on incurably vicious habits, who had be an ingenious system of fraud obtained huge sums of money leading London merchants

"'"Ha, ha ! You remember my case ! " said he proudly

"'" , indeed "

"'"Then maybe you remember something queer ? "

"'"What , then ? "

"'"I'd had nearly quarter of million, hadn't I ? "

"'"So said "

"'"But none was recovered, eh ? "

"'"No "

"'"Well, where d'ye suppose the balance is ? " he asked

"'" no idea," said I

"'"Right between my finger and thumb," he cried "By God ! I've go more pounds to my name than you've hairs head And 've money, my son, and know how to handle it and spread it, do anything Now, you don't think it likely that man do anything is going to wear his breeches out sitting stinking hold of rat-gutted, beetle-ridden, mouldy old coffin of Chin China coaster No, sir, such man will look after himself and will look after his chums lay ! You hold on to him, and kiss the book that he'll haul you through "

"'That was his style of talk, and at first it meant nothing; but after while, when he had tested me and sworn me in with all possible solemnity, he let me understand that there really was plot to gain command vessel dozen prisoners had hatched it came aboard, Prendergast leader, money motive power

"'"I'd partner," said he, "a rare good man, as true as stock to barrel He's got the dibbs, he has, and where moment ? Why, he's the chaplain ship--the chaplain, no less ! aboard with black coat, papers right, and money enough box the thing right up from keel to main-truck The crew are his, body and soul buy 'em at gross with cash discount, and it before ever they signed on He's got two warders and Mereer, the second mate, and he'd get the captain himself, if he thought him worth it "

"'" we , then ? " I asked

"'"What ? " said he "We'll coats of soldiers redder than ever the tailor did "

"'"But armed," said I

"'"And so shall we be, my boy There's brace of pistols for every mother's son of us, and 't carry this ship, crew at our back, it's time we were all sent to young misses' boarding-school You speak to your mate left to-night, if he trusted "

"' so, and found my other neighbour young fellow in much the same position as myself, whose crime forgery His name was Evans, but he afterwards changed it, like myself, is now rich and prosperous man south of England ready enough to join the conspiracy, only means of saving ourselves, and before we had crossed the Bay there were only two prisoners who secret was of weak mind, and dare to trust him, other was suffering from jaundice, and of any use

"' beginning really nothing us from taking possession ship The crew were set of ruffians, specially picked job The sham chaplain came into our cells to exhort us, carrying black bag, supposed full of tracts, and so often did he come that third day we had each stowed away foot beds file, brace of pistols, pound of powder, and twenty slugs Two warders were agents of Prendergast, second mate was his right-hand man The captain, the two mates, two warders Lieutenant Martin, his eighteen soldiers, doctor were all that we had against us Yet, safe as , we determined to neglect no precaution, and our attack suddenly by night It came, however, more quickly than we expected, and

"'One evening, third week after our start, the doctor had come down prisoners who was ill, and putting his hand down bottom bunk the outline pistols If he silent blown the whole thing, but nervous little chap, so cry of surprise and turned so pale man knew up in an instant and seized him gagged before give the alarm, and tied down bed He had unlocked the door that led deck, and we were through it in rush The two sentries were shot down, and so was corporal who came running the matter There were two more soldiers door state-room, and their muskets seemed not loaded, for they never fired upon us, were shot while trying to fix their bayonets Then we rushed on captain's cabin, but pushed open the door an explosion from within, and there he lay wit his brains smeared over the chart Atlantic pinned table, while the chaplain stood with smoking pistol hand at his elbow The two mates had both been seized crew, whole business seemed settled