the fellow, and
a bigger decoy rogue does not exist in the country. He will lie by the
rule of three, and then retract all that he has said, without the least
regard for himself or others. I have heard of him a number of times, and
now think that I shall live to see him punished."

"I 'opes you vill live a thousand years, lieutenant, but I also 'opes
you'll not joke over my misfortunes. I've 'elped the gentlemen, and now
I'm to be punished for it."

"Tie him up, Maurice, and use your sword belt over his back until I tell
you to stop," repeated Murden. "I owe him a flogging for the manner in
which he sent me on a wrong scent once."

'"On my vord ov 'onor, sir, I didn't do so on purpose. I afterwards
found that I vas wrong, and run after you to put you right, but you'd
gone, and I couldn't find you."

"Lies will not answer your purpose, you long-legged scamp. I'll flog you
now, and then carry you to Melbourne in triumph."

The fellow uttered a dozen excuses, but they did not avail him, and in
spite of his resistance two or three of the men dragged him to a tree,
and fastened his hands with their sword belts. Steel Spring called on
all the saints to prove that he was innocent of trickery, and when the
strong arm of Maurice, wielding a stout belt, descended upon his
shoulders, his entreaties were pitiful.

"That's blow number one," cried Murden. "Go on, Maurice."

"Stop--for God's sake, stop," he yelled. "I vill tell all that I know,
and more too, if you will let me go."

"Who killed and robbed those two miners on their way to Melbourne this
spring?" asked the officer, motioning the policeman to suspend his
punishment.

"Do you mean the two men near the muddy brook, or on the Ballarat Road?"
inquired Steel Spring.

"The two last," replied Murden.

"Vell, don't strike, 'cos it hurts like thunder, and I don't mind
telling you all about it. You see Nosey heard that they'd got the dust
vid 'em; so I was sent to talk vid 'em and find out how much they had,
and get 'em to stop in a convenient place; and then Nosey and two others
comes up and pretends to be going our vay, and ven a good chance
occurred the miners vere knocked in their heads, and Nosey took the dust
and divided it around, but I didn't get any."

"Give him another cut, Maurice, for telling the last lie," cried Murden,
coolly.

"Don't do that," shouted the long-legged wretch, as the blow fell with
awful distinctness upon his back. "Darn it all, you