suggested that
all present should take hold of the two ropes, and by pulling in
opposite directions manage to keep the bird in a state of strangulation
that would utterly prevent all resistance.

Murden was delighted with the hint, and acted on it without delay. We
pressed those present into service, and in a few minutes the eyes of the
huge bird were screened from the light, and he was ready to follow us
wherever we should lead. In this way we escorted him to town, and
Murden, when he returned to Melbourne, carried his pet; and the bird may
be alive now for all that I know, for the lieutenant gave him to the
governor-general, and for many months after the presentation the
cassiowary was to be seen on the grounds, near the palace, an object of
great curiosity to all new-comers.

After seeing the bird safely housed at the back part of our store, where
we kept our horses, and after astonishing Steel Spring by telling him
that he was to make his entree into Melbourne on the back of the bird,
we again took the road, and were soon gratified by meeting our partner,
Smith, with two huge loads of merchandise of all descriptions, and each
drawn by four yokes of oxen.

"Well, I've got along," he said, with one of his most cheerful smiles,
"and a precious whack of itself I've got piled on the carts. Here's a
little of every thing. Cheap for cash, you know."

"Then you made good trades in Melbourne?" we both demanded.

"I should rather think I had. There's three or four American clipper
ships in port with cargoes that must be sold, and no demand. I bought a
lot of stuff at auction, and I never paid such a low figure before."

"But how did you manage to get clear of your wife so soon after
marriage?" Fred asked.

"Ah, I see that the lieutenant has been giving you the news," replied
Smith, with a genuine blush. "Well, the fact of it is, she is too
sensible a woman to regret the absence of one whom she knows is
bettering himself, so that there were but few tears shed between us."

The lieutenant, with a consideration that did him credit, rode in
advance a few rods, out of hearing, as he rightly judged that we must
desire to make a few inquiries of a private nature respecting our
business relation.

"Did you get the gold that was in the custody of the old--"

We were about to say "old convict," when we recollected that he was
Smith's father-in-law.

"Of course I did," our partner interrupted, apparently taking no notice