you--go on," was all the response Fred
returned.

"I s'pose you have all read 'bout the tea tax, a good many years ago,
when our revolushinary daddies pitched the darned stuff overboard in
Bosting harbor?"

Fred nodded in token of acquiescence.

"Wall, things here is something like the things in them 'ere times, only
a darned sight wus. Now, the miners are taxed a putty considerable sum
jist for the chance of digging about on this earth, when by nat'ral
rights the fellers hadn't, orter pay a cent.

"Sometimes the miner is lucky, and then agin he isn't; but whether he
gets a pile or not, he's got to shell over every month, and if he don't
come down he gets no license, and can't arn an honest livin'. Now what
do you think of such a state of things, hey?"

"Perhaps that the government don't know that you feel that the tax is a
burden," Fred answered, evasively.

"O, yes, they do, 'cos we've petitioned a dozen times to have 'em
abolish it, but no notice has been taken of our papers. They can't say
that the thing was not correct, 'cos I writ one of 'em and headed it
with my name, to let 'em know that we Americans still possessed the
spirit of our granddaddies."

"Then you had better petition again," remarked Fred, determined to take
no part in his schemes at present.

"No, we are tired of that 'ere game, 'cos two can't play at it. What we
have got to do is, to say to the Britishers, here, we won't give you
another shillin' to save your old crown, and then we shall bring 'em
round."

"But what say the Englishmen at Ballarat? Do they refuse or grumble at
paying a tax?"

"Of course they do! There isn't an Englisher or a foreigner but Jo ready
to say we won't stand the imposition no longer--things is coming to a
head, and no mistake."

"And what do you wish us to do?" inquired Fred.

"We want you to jine us, and help stir the boys up so that they'll
listen to reason, and stand out like men," replied Charley, and Big Ben
grunted his applause at the sentiment.

"But that we are not willing to do at present. We are strangers here,
and have paid no tax, nor have we been asked to. We shall not go into
the matter blindfolded; therefore, for the present, we must keep aloof
from your gatherings and petitions"

Charley sat and listened without interruption.

"Do you know what Australia is?" he asked, in a whisper, dropping his
voice as though fearful of being overheard.

Fred replied that he considered it the larges