Mr. Hawes interposed, and said it was cruel to make a prisoner strip to gratify curiosity.  Mr. Eden laughed.  “Come, strip,” said he; “the gentleman is waiting.”  The prisoner reluctantly took off his coat, waistcoat and shirt, and displayed an emaciated person and several large livid stripes on his back.  Mr. Lacy looked grave.

“Now, Mr. Lacy, you see the real reason why this humane gentleman did not like the prisoner to strip.  Come to another.  Before we go in to this one let me ask you one question:  Do you think they will ever tell you the truth while Mr. Hawes’s eye is on them?”

“Hum! they certainly seem to stand in awe of Mr. Hawes.”

Hawes.  “But, sir! you see how bitter the chaplain is against me.  Where he is I ought to be if I am to have fair play.”

“Certainly, Mr. Hawes, certainly! that is but fair.”

Mr. Eden.  “What are you in for?”

Prisoner.  “Taking a gentleman’s wipe, gentlemen.”

Mr. Eden.  “Have you been often punished?”

Prisoner.  “Yes, your reverence!  Why you know I have; now didn’t you save my life when they were starving me to death two months ago?”

Mr. Lacy.  “How did he save your life?”

Prisoner.  “Made ’em put me on the sick list, and put something into my poor belly.”

Mr. Lacy.  “What state was the man in, Mr. Eden?”

Mr. Eden.  “He was like a skeleton, and so weak that he could only speak two or three words at a time, and then had to stop a long while and recover strength to say two or three more.  I did not think a human creature could be so near death and not die.”

Mr. Lacy.  “And did you know the cause?”

Mr. Eden.  “Frankly, I did not.  I had not at that time fathomed all the horrors of this place.”

Mr. Lacy.  “Did you tell the chaplain at the time you were starving?”

Prisoner.  “No!”

Mr. Eden.  “And why not?”

Mr. Hawes.  “Simply because he never was starving.”

Prisoner.  “Well!  I’ll tell you, gentlemen.  His reverence said to me, ’My poor fellow, you are very ill—­I must have you on the sick list directly,’ and then he went for the doctor.  Now I knew if I got on the sick list they would fill my belly; so I said to myself, best let well alone.  If I had told him it was only starvation he would not interfere, I thought.”

Mr. Lacy opened his eyes.  Mr. Eden sighed.

Mr. Lacy.  “You seem to have a poor opinion of her majesty’s officers.”

Prisoner.  “Didn’t know him, you see—­didn’t know his character; the humbug that was here before him would have let a poor fellow be kicked into his grave before his eyes, and not hold out a hand to save him.”

Mr. Lacy.  “Let me understand you—­were you kept without food?”

Prisoner.  “I was a day and a half without any food at all.”

Mr. Lacy.  “By whose orders?”

Prisoner.  “By the governor’s there, and I was a week on a twopenny loaf once a day, and kept at hard work on that till I dropped.  Ah, your reverence, I shall never forget your face.  I should be under the sod now if it was not for you!”