“Steer clear of the nobility, if you please,” cried Fred.

“All right, sir; well, would you believe it, the villains had the audacity to arraign me before the beak, when I pleaded not guilty, and dared them to the proof.

“I have a faint recollection that my defiance availed me but little, for I was brought in guilty; and when the old beak sentenced me to transportation for twenty years, he took occasion to say that I was the worst looking prisoner he had seen for many years.  I thought, even then, how much respect he would feel, were he but aware that I was connected with the nobility—­”

“Never mind the nobility,” broke in Fred.

“I don’t intend to, hereafter, as I think that I am better off without their acquaintance.  Well, in a few days I was put on board of a ship, with a number of other distinguished gentlemen, and I started on my long voyage to Australia.

“Jim Gulpin was one of the passengers, and I early made his acquaintance, and won his friendship by a few acts of kindness, which distinguished strangers should always extend to each other.  In fact, I became so useful to the officers of the ship that I was installed as an assistant cook; and when I was obliged to part with them, owing to the pressing solicitations of the wretch who has the charge of the hulks at Hobson’s Bay, I don’t think that there was a dry eye on board, from the captain to my illustrious commander, the chief cook.

“Owing to good recommendations, I was set at work doing scullion’s duty at the hulks—­a situation which I filled to the satisfaction not only of myself, but to the officers who had charge of me.  I got plenty to eat, for I looked out for that, and I think that I should have served out my time with great contentment had I not learned that my old friend Gulpin had made his escape, but not until he had done for one of his keepers.  A sudden desire to travel possessed me; I longed to see the world, to be free, and accumulate wealth so that I could return to London, and astonish the nobility and my hard-hearted parents.

“I watched my chance, and one day when I was on a visit to Melbourne for the purpose of carrying a bundle for one of the keepers, I thought I would begin my travels; so I started on a dog trot, in a direction opposite from the hulks, and when a pistol was discharged at my fine form, it had the effect of quickening my pace materially.  Finding that the shot had no effect, the keeper ran after me; but what chance do you suppose he had with me, the possessor of such a pair of legs?  In five minutes I had run him out of sight, but after I got outside of the city I did not lessen my speed, for I recollected that there was a mounted police force in Melbourne, and that they had a fancy for scouring the country in search of escaped convicts.

“With nothing to eat, excepting what I was enabled to steal—­I don’t mean steal—­but then I didn’t pay for such as I got, because I had no money in my pocket—­I managed to subsist, and by skulking in the woods during daylight, and travelling at night, I struggled on, undetected.