you to stop and dine with me to-day, and if you refuse,
never ask me for another pardon."

The governor smiled good-humoredly as we hesitated, and before we knew
how to frame an excuse we were moving towards the dining-room arm-in-arm
with Colonel Hensen and the captain of police.

That dinner will long live in my memory, not only for the good cheer, to
which we had long been strangers, but for the social manner in which we
were treated by the governor and his guests.

Even the hound, who had received a large share of attention, was
permitted to enter the dining-room, and by the manner in which his eyes
glistened I thought he appeared to enjoy himself as well as the rest of
the company.

CHAPTER XX.

DUEL BETWEEN FRED AND AN ENGLISH LIEUTENANT.

Even at this distant day, I think that I have a faint recollection of
walking through the streets of Melbourne at a late hour on the afternoon
that we dined with the governor--and I also think that we were escorted
to our home by Colonel Hensen, and a number of other gentlemen, although
who they were I have not the slightest recollection.

It was a late hour the next morning, when we awoke with aching heads and
parched throats. Our faithful friend, Smith, was stirring, and by the
aroma we knew that a strong dish of coffee had been prepared by his
hands, and that it awaited us as soon as we rose--an act which we had no
inclination to do; but a sight of his sorrowful face as he spread the
table, made me alter my mind.

I slipped on my clothes, and bathed my heated head in cool water just
taken from the river, and felt refreshed by the operation; and by the
time Fred had gone through with the same process, breakfast was
pronounced ready, and down to it we sat with but scant appetites.

"What have you got such a long face on for this morning?" I asked of the
stockman, who hardly raised his eyes while he was drinking his coffee.

"Can you ask?" he replied, looking up, and I saw by the expression of
his face that he had not slept during the night.

"Can I ask?" I repeated, "to be sure I can. We got a little out of the
way last night, but the circumstance is too common to provoke remark in
Australia."

"Ah, it was not that I was thinking about. I was considering how unkind
the governor has treated me, in not granting me freedom after so many
years of good conduct," replied Smith.

"O, is that all?" I cried, with an appearance of indifference. "I
thought you were