as much as a small house in the States. Even a few cracked
branches are valued at the rate of five or ten shillings per stick, and
you can calculate how much the cost would be after sinking a shaft a
hundred or two hundred feet, to say nothing of the chamber work."

We began to comprehend that mining was rather difficult and uncertain
work.

"Then, according to your showing, the best thing that we can do, is to
pack up our traps and return to Melbourne," Fred said, after a long
pause.

"By no means; you are not going to start so soon, I hope," the inspector
replied.

"We see but little use of remaining here and wasting our means on an
uncertainty," I answered.

"Have patience, my lads," replied the inspector, softly; "are there no
other ways of making money besides mining?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, with a suspicious glance.

The inspector laughed, and slowly refilled his pipe.

"I don't propose to rob the specie train, or to waylay travellers. I
think that money can be made in an honest manner, and without working
very hard."

"But how? Show us the _modus operandi_."

"I will, with great pleasure. Make an agreement with your companion
here, Smith, and let him return to Melbourne and load two teams with
goods, such as I will give you a hint to buy. By the time he returns,
you can have a store or large tent to receive them. Paint on a huge
piece of canvas that you have fresh goods from England and the United
States, and call your place the 'International Store." It will sound
well, and half of the fellows here won't know what it means, and of
course they will patronize you for the purpose of finding out."

"But where is the capital to come from?" I asked, thinking that I would
test his friendship by pretending that we had but little money at our
command.

"A thousand pounds will be enough; I will recommend you to dealers in
Melbourne who will be glad to give you three months' credit," the
inspector answered, promptly.

"That may be true, but a thousand pounds is a large sum of money, and
where are we to find it?" I asked.

"Why, I have five hundred pounds that I don't want to use, and I am so
certain that what I recommend will succeed, that you are welcome to it
without interest for a twelvemonth."

Mr. Brown seemed so sincere and honest that we were compelled to shake
hands with him in token of our appreciation of his offer.

"We are comparatively strangers to you," Fred said. "How dare you to