"Guilty, my lord."
"The sentence of the court is that you be imprisoned for three months. Remove him."
Branagan retired, delighted to find a short imprisonment substituted for the transportation that he expected. As he passed through the dock, he was eagerly interrogated by the other prisoners—
"What have you got?"
"Three months."
"Three months—only three months!" they exclaimed; "Oh! but we're in luck. His lordship is as mild as milk this morning. It's seldom that he's in so sweet a humour."
"Put forward another," said the Recorder.
"Are you guilty or not guilty?"
"Guilty, my lord."