“So help me God, I’m not—­I don’t know the gentleman you speak of.  I’m a stranger here—­I only arrived in Australia week before last;—­for God’s sake let me go, and I won’t do any thing but what you wish me to;” and the fellow wrung his hands, and looked the very picture of woe and fright.

“I think I’d better order you to be shot, for if I should let you off, and find that you are Sam after all, I should always regret it,” the lieutenant said, with mock gravity.

“Don’t shoot me; please don’t—­I never hurt anyone in my life.  I’m only in the country to make my fortune, and when I get it I’ll leave.  I swear that I will.”

“On those conditions, then, I will let you go—­but remember, I shall have an eye on you hereafter.”

The fellow expressed his thanks in a confused manner, and darted from the enclosure, and during the remainder of our stay at the stream we did not hear an impudent remark concerning our blue flannel shirts or the perquisites of Australian policemen.  The heterogeneous maps were suddenly struck with Murden’s display of authority, backed as it was by about a dozen men, well armed and ready to do his bidding without a question or murmur.

Fires were lighted and kettles soon boiling, and the smell of burning meat, as it crackled on the coals, made not only the hound but the weary guard look with eager eyes for the call to breakfast.

CHAPTER XVII.

Triumphal entry into Melbourne.

In spite of the intense heat and dust which greeted our arrival at “Boomerang stream,” we managed to sleep for a few hours, and then, after a bath in the river, felt somewhat refreshed, and were anxious to proceed on our journey.  The sun was too high, however, and the plains too heated to induce Murden to consent, so Fred and myself went on an excursion through the various camps near us, and after much hard work we were fortunate enough to get hold of a Boston paper, and then selecting the most secluded spot that we could find, and the freest from dust, we read to each other all the items of interest, and then commenced on the advertisements, which latter we finished just as Michael called us to supper.

Each party camped on the bank of the stream, had a fire burning, and the never-failing dish of coffee preparing for their evening meal.  Parties of men were searching for their cattle, and driving them in, preparatory to a start; and a scene of confusion, it appeared to me, seemed inevitable; but to my surprise the oxen walked slowly towards the carts to which they belonged, and submitted to having yokes placed wound their necks, without that resistance which I had anticipated.

The sun had hardly disappeared before the first cart started on its long journey for Ballarat.  Another and another followed, and in a short time we were the sole occupants of the camping ground.