t I will hint to a few friends that you are in town."

We turned, as though about to leave him, but Steel Spring was not
desirous of having a horde of desperadoes at his heels, as he inferred
that he would have, if he suffered us to leave him displeased. "O,
don't quit a covey that vay," he cried, in an abject manner; "I don't
vant to 'ave lots of henemies varever I goes, and you knows it."

"Well, then, tell us what made you quit Murden's service?" I asked.

He hesitated for a moment, as though almost resolved to tell a lie, but
thought better of it and told the truth.

"Vell, if ye must know, I'll tell ye. There vas a trifling sum of money
missed from the police office one day, and I vos suspected. That's all."

"Of course, you took the money, eh?" Mr. Brown remarked.

"I vish that you vouldn't ask me such strange questions. You is enough
to confuse any one, I say."

"Did you take the money?" demanded Mr. Brown.

"Vell, yes, I s'pose I did. At leastwise it vas found on me, although
how it came in my pocket I don't know," and the fellow chuckled at his
falsehood.

"And I suppose Murden told you that he had no further occasion for your
services," I remarked.

"I think that he said something of the kind, but I vas so confused that
I don't remember all that took place. I know one thing, though, that I
ain't forgot."

"Well, what is it?"

"Vy, a slight kicking that I got, and a request never to show my head in
Melbourne again;" and the fellow rubbed his person as though it was
still sore.

"Now, one question more," Mr. Brown said; "what brought you to this part
of the country?"

Steel Spring hesitated for a moment, and then requested us to promise
secrecy before he divulged. We readily complied, when he asked us to
step one side, and where we could be sure not to be overheard. We
withdrew from the stragglers who were loitering about, followed by Steel
Spring.

"I've got something to do that pays better than vaiting on Lieutenant
Murden," he whispered.

"Is the occupation honest?" I asked.

"If it hadn't been you vouldn't have caught me connected vid it," was
the prompt reply.

"That we can tell after we have heard what you are doing. Go on."

"I'm engaged by the commissioner to endeavor to find out the feelings of
these misguided men," Steel Spring said, still whispering.

"In other words, you are a spy," I remarked.

"Vell, I don't know about that," he said; "I'se promised to get all the
facts