one?" asked the fellow, with such a
significant leer that we involuntarily glanced over our shoulders as
though expecting a gang of ferocious bushrangers to be within gunshot.

"Answer me," cried Fred, with pretended sternness, placing the muzzle of
the rifle against the fellow's heart. "Tell me where you came from, and
what you wish in the neighborhood?"

"Vell, I vill, if ye von't hinger my feelings with the cold iron. Take
away the gun and I'll do the right thing. 'Pon the 'onor of a gentleman,
I will."

We laughed at his last remark, and the fellow joined in with us good
naturedly, as though he did not expect to be believed.

"Very well, sit up and tell your story," we said; and calling off the
dog, who manifested a great reluctance to obey, we permitted him to take
an easier position.

"Vell, the fact of the matter is, I am strolling round 'ere just for the
fun of shooting parrots."

"You know that you are lying," Fred said, sternly.

The fellow seemed to think a compliment had been paid him, for he
grinned so hard that the dirt actually cracked on his face and peeled
off in scales. A motion towards our rifles brought him to his reason.

"Stop that," he cried, "and I'll tell hall."

"Go on," we repeated.

"Vell, then, I s'pose I'm 'ere for the same thing as vot you're here
for."

"Well, what is that?" I asked.

"Vy, you know--the hold boy's tin vich he buried afore he vas taken up
and dished."

"What do you mean?" I inquired, wishing to see how much he knew.

"O, don't 'tempt to gammon me, 'case I knows by the way that yer
does--that yer knows all 'bout the trick. But I say, can't I come in for
shooks?"

"Then you know that there is money buried near here?"

"Hof course I does. Didn't I see Jim Gulpin ven he planted it, and
didn't I run hoff the next day, and ven I hears that Jim is a goner, and
had got into the hands of the beaks, didn't I leave the mines, vere the
vork is jolly 'ard, and come 'ere with the intention of raising it, and
having a jolly good blow out at Melbourne?"

"Then you have been connected with a gang of bushrangers?" Fred asked.

"Vell, I did use to do the cookin' for 'em, vile they did the robbin';
but then you wouldn't blow on a fellow, would you?"

"What did you make a target of my body for?" I inquired.

"Vell, I vill be plain, and no mistake. I did think that if it killed
von of ye, vy the rest vould run, and then I should be left alone to
ring the blunt."

"An