of our mistake. "He read the order over a dozen times, and then made me
sign a paper, stating that the money was given up to me on such a day,
at such a time, and then called his daughter to witness the delivery. He
wished you both all manner of prosperity, and said that he didn't want
you to think hard of him for not letting you mine on his claim, but
hoped to be rich enough before many days to relinquish it entirely, and
then you could come and be welcome."

"Tell him we appreciate his kindness," returned Fred, with a laugh at
the shrewdness of the old fox.

"Yes, I will," returned Smith, seriously. "But let me finish with an
account of how I spent a portion of the funds, and what I did with the
remainder. I have ten barrels of flour, or a ton as we term it, which I
got cheap enough, and if we don't realize a profit on it I shall be much
mistaken--then I have sugars, molasses, whiskey, wine, spices, boots
and shoes, clothing, meal, preserved meats and vegetables, tobacco and
cigars, pipes, pork, a cask of vinegar, a barrel of pickles, firkins of
butter, and a dozen cheeses, and fifty other things that I don't
recollect, but which I have no doubt will meet with a ready sale after
we have once got started."

"And the price for all these things was low?" we asked, quite amazed at
the variety that our partner had selected.

"So low that over two thirds of the money that we subscribed now awaits
our order at the Melbourne bank." And to confirm his words, Smith pulled
from his bosom a small pouch that contained a certificate of deposit.

Of course we congratulated our friend on the prospect that he had
afforded us of making a large percentage on his purchases, and by the
time that we had finished our interrogations we had reached Ballarat and
drew up in front of our new store; and in spite of the warmth of the
afternoon, we stripped off our coats, and went to work unloading the
carts and arranging the goods to suit our ideas of convenience and
display.

Even Murden did not disdain to lend a hand, and Mr. Brown, when he
dropped around to take a cup of tea with us in the evening, finding that
there was plenty of work to be done, sent us half a dozen policemen; the
latter labored as though they liked it, and when, about ten o'clock in
the evening, we knocked off, and offered to pay them, to our surprise
they told us that they were already paid, and all our entreaties were
powerless to make them accept of a shilling. But