“Bah! Are they going to try it on now on deck, and half a company of swaddies facing them?”
“Likely!”
“Down below then, when they’re all locked up?”
“Not likely that.”
“It’s all gammon, mate,” he cried. “Flam to get in favour.”
“What I told him,” I said. “Then you wouldn’t report it?”
“I would if I wanted to be snubbed,” said my brother officer, with a grin. “Ha! there goes the order for down below, and they haven’t riz, mate. They’ll be behind the bars in five minutes. Not much flurry to-night.”
As he spoke, a little squad of soldiers marched down and formed up on either side of the gate, and the convicts came down singly and went through till all were in; then the gate was shut and locked, and all was safe for the night.
“No,” I said, in a whisper; “there’ll be no rising.”
“Not till to-morrow morning, mate, when it’s time to get up.”