the floor, and throw his solid
form against the door with a subdued yell, which, after a moment's
snuffing changed from rage to joy. He uttered cry after cry of welcome,
yet still Fred did not seem to take the hint. At length I heard him
shuffling along the floor in his slippers, and presently he inquired,--

"Who's there?"

"A friend," I replied, disguising my voice as much as possible.

"What is wanting?" he asked.

"A cup of coffee and something to eat," I replied.

"You can get neither here. Go to one of the coffee-houses."

"But suppose we want to trade?" I asked.

"Then come during trading hours," was the brief rejoinder.

"O, don't stand there talking all day, but let us in," cried Mr. Brown,
who, like all Englishmen, couldn't bear to joke on an empty stomach.

"Is that you, Jack?" Fred demanded, eagerly.

"Of course it is," cried Mr. Brown, impatiently.

The heavy bar was removed with remarkable rapidity, and the next instant
the door was thrown open, and the best friend that I possessed in the
world was shaking my hand and patting me on the back, as though I was an
infant strangling with lacteal fluid, while Rover circled around us, and
made the air vocal with his joyous barks, until anxious to distinguish
himself, and perhaps thinking that Mr. Brown was not getting his share
of the reception, he suddenly welcomed that gentleman with a slight nip
on the seat of his pantaloons, that caused him to utter a fierce oath,
and to rub the place with remarkable vigor.

"Come in, come in," cried Fred, "or we shall have all the green police
of Ballarat around us, thinking a manifestation is going on. I see three
of the fellows peering around corners as though uncertain whether to
regard us as madmen or conspirators."

We followed him into the store and closed the door; and while Fred was
busy in lighting lamps, for the store was dark inside, he chatted as
though his tongue had had a fast for a month, and was now making up for
lost time.

"I had near about given you up for dead, and next week should have left
the store in charge of Smith and started in search of you. What detained
you so long, and couldn't you send me a few words?"

Then, not waiting for us to answer, he continued:--

"I began to think that you had fallen victims to the bushrangers, for
they are very bold lately, and more than one gang has ventured near the
city with impunity, while the troubles are continuing. The commissioner
has been