acticable, and don't forget to send me all the news that
is stirring, including mining tax and other matters. By the way,
the artillery corps in this place have received orders to be in
readiness for instant duty and marching order. They are practising
with their guns every day. Their destination is a secret, although
I think I can _guess_ where they are to go.

Yours in purity and honesty,

MURDEN.

The next day we informed the inspector of Steel Spring's arrival, and
the place where he was domiciled; and the former hinted to his sergeant
that the latter should be watched narrowly, but was not to be interfered
with unless something criminal was noted, in which case he was to be
arrested without delay. Of course Mr. Brown did not impart to his
subordinates what the ex-bushranger was attempting to accomplish, and
the matter always remained a secret to them.

We saw nothing of Steel Spring until two days after his arrival, when he
paid us a nocturnal visit, disguised as usual, and gave us some
information that was of real importance.

"I'se getting along werry slowly," he said, "'cos I've got to creep
afore I can walk. But things is vorking, and no mistake; and I 'spected
ven I took that horn of viskey the other night, that it would clear my
hideas, and make me find somethin'."

"Well, what have you found out?" I demanded.

"That the confounded dust gets into my throat, and keeps me dry, and I
think will really drive me into a galloping consumption time. I'se dry
now, and I think that if you had some vater here vid the brackishness
taken off vid a little somethin' good, that it would help me."

We understood the hint, and gratified it; only after we had poured out a
tumbler of whiskey, he refused to have it spoiled by adding a drop of
water, as he thought that the latter was most too salt to agree with his
constitution. He drained the glass, smacked his lips, and made up such a
hideous face that he would have frightened a person of delicate nerves
into fits, had his countenance been seen.

"Now, then, for the information!" I cried.

"Vell, then, to business. I vant some more money."

"You shan't have it until you give a good account of yourself, and tell
us what you have done with the gold we already gave you."

"O, werry well," the mutinous scamp replied, moving towards the door;
"ven you get ready to give me the chink, I'll be ready to vork for you,
and not until then."

He ha