gh they still had a matter that they
wished to speak about.

"I also have a request," whispered the Englishman, evidently mistaking
his man, and thinking that Fred was a good-natured sort of person, who
would comply with every wish.

"Name it," replied Fred, with some little impatience.

"Could you lend me ten pounds for a few days, until I can collect a few
debts that are due me?" the scamp asked.

"No, I can't do that," rejoined Fred, opening wide the store door, "but
I can let you have a few of these if they will suit you."

He raised his foot as he spoke, and administered a few energetic kicks
to the fellow's posteriors, that almost took him off his feet.

"They fit well enough," cried the beggar, "but they don't suit;" and the
twain were speedily out of sight, and whenever we used to see them
afterwards, they would keep at a respectable distance, and look to see
what kind of boots we wore.

As we apprehended no further difficulty that night, we went to bed, and
got quite a comfortable nap before sunrise.

Murden, whose visit extended a day or two longer than he intended, got
ready to start in the afternoon, and although he had only brought a
valise with him, and a change of clothing, yet did he pretend, every
time that his departure was mentioned, that he had to pack his things,
and away he would go, and remain absent until he had recovered composure
sufficient to face us like a man, and without a display of weakness.

With a hearty shake of our hands, and a troubled brow, Murden left us;
and had he not undertaken the difficult task of driving or leading his
newly-caught bird, the cassiowary, which gave him trouble, and required
all of his attention, he would have broken down in his leave-taking, and
galloped off without daring to trust himself with words.

As for Steel Spring, he appeared delighted at the idea of leaving; for
he was fond of change, and required exciting scenes to keep him out of
mischief, which he was prone to, in defiance of the vigilant eye that
Murden kept on him; and I had but little doubt, as I stood and watched
their forms disappear amidst a labyrinth of tents and crazy huts, that
the long-limbed wretch would have murdered him, and rejoined a gang of
bushrangers, had it not been for a sort of moral fear that prevented him
from committing the crime.

We felt lonely for the balance of the day, although we were extremely
busy in arranging our goods, and in selling. Our store was cro