Part 9 (1/2)
”Just what a young gent like you would do, sir Pity's a good thing, but youfor these men to be sent out like this”
”Seems, sir But is it? You see, they needn't have been sent out
They only had to behave themselves”
”But some of them may be innocent”
”Yes, sir,” said the warder drily; ”but which of 'e, and never looking at anything but the deck He'll never look you in the face”
”Yes, I've noticed that”
”Wouldn't pick him out for an innocent one, would you?”
”Well, no,” said Nic; ”one seeot off with transportation for life; but I' worse”
”Did he kill anybody?” said Nic in an awe-stricken whisper
”Yes; more than one, I believe, sir: sort of human wild beast I never feel safe with him, and we all take care never to have Forty-four behind us Try again, sir”
”Well, this one co, but he doesn't seem so very bad One would think he could be made a better man”
”Twenty-five, sir Well, he'll have every chance out yonder He has only got to get a good character over his work, and the governor and thened servant, and when he has served his time he can start farmer on his own account Makes faces at you, doesn't he?”
”Yes,” cried Nic eagerly
”Ah, he won't now I'm here”
Nic smiled, for thethat the chief warder would not see, but he did
”You, Twenty-five! How dare you? Extra punishment for that Pass by, sir”
”No, no, don't punish hioing to, sir,” said the warder drily; ”but one uard Not erly
”And precious little good, sir,” added the warder ”But he , I think, was his offence When he gets out to the convict lines they'll teach him to know better; and some day he'll have a house of his own, if it's only a bark hut--gunyah they call 'em out there--and then he'll know the value of it, and be ready to upset any one who tries to break in”
”Then you have been out before?”
”Oh yes, sir I know the country pretty well, specially the part where your father is I've been there”
”And you know my father?”