ns to crawl along the rough gulf which
the water coursed over, and stopping under the former, kindle a fire
that would give us great difficulty to extinguish in the absence of
engines and scarcity of water.

We all listened attentively, but no sound was heard, and we began to
fear that the flames might already be kindled, and that the incendiaries
had made their escape. Smith and Murden agreed to creep down one side of
the building, while Fred and myself undertook to guard the other.

With this understanding we parted company, and cautiously reached the
gulf, so that we could look under the building, and there, sure enough,
we saw that ample preparations had been made for smoking us out, for a
pile of kindling nearly a foot high was raised, and two men, who, when
they spoke, did so in whispers, were busy adding to it.

"There, there's enough," cried one, "to set fire to all the shanties in
Ballarat. Light the match, and let's be off, or the dog will be snuffing
around, and then we shall have the fellers about our ears."

"Faith, there's mighty little fear of that, for don't you hear 'um snore
as though they hadn't slept a bit for a month. Pile on the stuff, and
let's have a rousing fire while we are 'bout it," replied the other; and
his voice sounded familiar to us, although who the speaker was we had no
idea.

"You forget that firewood is dear at Ballarat," and he chuckled as he
spoke, as though amused at the thought.

"Thin we'll have it chaper before long," returned the other; and by his
language we knew that he was an Irishman.

They worked for a few seconds, and after a match was lighted and thrust
into the pile of kindlings, and then the incendiaries crawled towards us
as fast as possible, for the purpose of escaping, and getting clear of
the flames, which already began to shoot up and crackle, as they
gathered headway.

CHAPTER LI.

ATTEMPT TO BURN THE STORE.

As the heads of the incendiaries emerged from beneath the building, and
even before they had time to gain a footing, we threw ourselves upon
them, and pinned them to the earth in despite of the powerful struggles
which they made to escape; failing in which, their hands sought for
their knives, but we saw the movement, and succeeded in defeating it.

"Yield in peace," cried Fred, "or you will fare worse," addressing his
antagonist, the Irishman, who replied with an oath, and a fierce thrust
of a long knife.

"Is that your gratitude?" c