glad to see him.

"I have just arrived in time, I see," Murden said, glancing at our
supper, "and, by George, I'm glad that I've a place to rest to-night,
for I'm tired. We've been three days on the road, on horseback all the
time, with the exception of a few hours during the extreme heat of noon.
Our animals got used up about five miles from Ballarat; so I footed it
to town. I suppose that you recollect that scamp,"--pointing to Steel
Spring, who bowed low at the compliment. "I've taken him into my service
on his promise to be of good behavior; but I don't think that his word
is to be relied on; so I cane him about once in twenty-four hours, to
see if what little goodness there is in him cannot be brought out."

Steel Spring shrugged his shoulders, as much as to say, There is no joke
in what he is telling, as I can testify.

"But how came Steel Spring to find us first?" I asked.

"Well, when our horses broke down I sent him ahead to find out in what
quarter of the town you were located, and I followed more leisurely. The
first policeman that I met directed me here, so that I found no
difficulty, and was not compelled to wait for my _notorati_
fellow-traveller at the cross-roads."

"But how comes it that you are in citizen's dress, instead of the blue
uniform?"

"Ah, my boys, that is the secret; but as I have nothing to conceal from
you, I will confess I am the bearer of secret despatches to the
inspector of this district in relation to the mining tax. But while I am
talking, set Steel Spring at work cooking supper, for I am famished, and
I suppose that he is also."

It was only necessary to nod acquiescence to the lieutenant, when Steel
Spring stripped off his coat and set to work in earnest. In a few
minutes he had ransacked our private stores and spread our few dishes
upon a box, that answered for a table, in the most tempting array; and
with a few dried branches he set the teakettle to boiling, and almost
before we thought that he had made a beginning, he announced that supper
was ready for his superior.

"By the way," Murden said, while partaking of our fare, "I overtook
Smith on his way to this place, and I should think that he would arrive
by to-morrow morning. He has two large loads of goods, and I think that
he has made a speculation in buying them, from the hints that he dropped
to me in confidence. One of your large American clipper ships arrived at
Melbourne with an assorted cargo of Yankee notions,