e men the whiskey,"
Mr. Brown said, as we rode in the direction of Ballarat. "The poor
horses will get a few hours' extra rest."

"That is more than the women and children can do," I remarked.

"The women can take care of themselves, I'll warrant you, and if a fight
occurs, look after their children at the same time. But touch up your
horse. We must reach Ballarat by daylight, for I have no doubt that
stirring times are occurring there."

The air was quite cool, and the moon sufficiently bright to show us the
right road, so that we wasted no time in searching for it. Not a single
person did we meet until just before daylight, when our horses suddenly
shied, and an examination revealed the cause. Under a tree by the
roadside was a team, and the driver fast asleep, snoring most
unmusically, while the oxen were quietly chewing their cuds, chained to
a wheel of the cart.

"Let us rouse him, and find out the news from Ballarat," Mr. Brown said.

I made no opposition. My friend approached the sleeping man, and
touching him lightly on the shoulder, caused him to look up. The fellow
rubbed his eyes, and stared wildly at us for a moment, and then began to
beg most piteously.

"I haven't got a single thing about me that's worth stealing," he cried.
"If you want my blanket you can have it, but it ain't a very good one."

"I suppose that you take us for bushrangers?" quietly remarked Mr.
Brown.

"I certainly do--ain't you?" asked the man, between hope and fear.

"Not quite so far gone as that. All that we desire of you is news, and
that you can soon give us without much sacrifice."

"O, is that all? I thought that somebody had been blowing on me," cried
the teamster, considerably relieved.

"How are matters at Ballarat?" I demanded. "Bad as bad can be," replied
the stranger promptly. "The devil has taken possession of the miners,
and they refuse to pay gold taxes to the government. The latter don't
want to yield, and there will be a fight or I'm much mistaken. I don't
want to hurry you, but if you want to be counted in, you'd better be
moving, or the whole matter will be decided before you arrive."

"I'll bet a wager that you are a Yankee," Mr. Brown remarked, and I
thought I detected the man's cuteness before my friend spoke.

"I take the bet," was the prompt reply. "Put the money in my hands."

Mr. Brown's money was not forthcoming, at which the stranger sneered.

"I s'posed that I had picked up a man who wanted