The Gold Hunter's Adventures Or, Life In Australia Volume 2 ( Of 2 ) - William H. Thomes (large screen ebook reader txt) 📗

Volume 2 Chapter 79 (Journey Back To Ballarat) Pg 235

 

The Commissioner Acknowledged, After Some Hesitancy, That Such Was His

Calculation.

 

"We Shall Have To Decline Your Flattering Offer," Fred Said, Firmly. "We

Have No Desire To Incur The Hatred Of The Miners Of Ballarat By

Appearing As Oppressors. If You Proposed An Expedition Against

Bushrangers We Should Be Happy To Comply With Your Wishes. As It Is, We

Cannot."

 

The Commissioner Did Not Say A Single Word. He Bowed Rather Stiffly, And

Then Turned And Left The Store, And The Next Moment We Heard Him Urging

His Horse Through The Street As Though He Was In A Hurry To Reach A

Certain Point Without Loss Of Time.

 

Volume 2 Chapter 80 ( Steel Spring In The Field.--Attempt Of The Commissioner To Confiscate Our Horses) Pg 236

"I Don't Want To Be Severe In My Language," Mr. Brown Said, As He

Listened To The Receding Steps Of The Commissioner, "But In My Opinion A

More Thorough D----D Scoundrel Don't Exist Than That Same Commissioner,

Who Just Set A Trap For You, And Caught Nothing."

 

"In That Opinion I Will Agree Most Heartily," Replied Fred; "He Imagines

That We Possess Some Influence Over Our Countrymen, And He Wished, By A

Little Flattery, And A Lucrative Position, To Attach Us To His Party. We

Will Have Nothing To Do With The Quarrel, But Endeavor To Take Care Of

Our Property And Our Lives By Keeping Out Of The Fight, If,

Unfortunately, There Is One."

 

While Fred Was Speaking, A Smart, Intelligent Man, Named Ross, Who Was

Regarded As The Head Of The Rebellious Movement, Entered The Store.

 

"I Have Made An Early Call," He Said, "But Not For The Purpose Of

Trading. The Fact Of It Is, I Heard It Reported Last Night--In What

Manner Is Of Little Consequence--That You, Gentlemen, Were To Be Offered

An Official Position Under The Commissioner. I Chanced To See That

Gentleman When He Left Your Premises, A Few Minutes Since, And I Thought

That There Might Be Color For The Rumor. It Is For The Miners' Interest

And Your Own That The Report Should Be Contradicted, Or Else Confirmed.

I Come To You As A Friend, To Ask Which Side You Espouse. If You Think

That The Miners Are Wrong, Do Not Hesitate To Say So, For I May Then Be

Volume 2 Chapter 80 ( Steel Spring In The Field.--Attempt Of The Commissioner To Confiscate Our Horses) Pg 237

Enabled To Render You Some Assistance, Not By Advice Alone, But In A

Practical Manner."

 

"If We Thought Your Party Was Wrong, Be Assured That We Should Say So

Without Equivocation," Replied Fred; "We Do Not Wish To Take Part In The

Struggle That Is About To Take Place, And Rest Satisfied That We Shall

Not, Unless Obliged To Defend Our Property. If The Commissioner Has Made

A Proposition To Us--And I Don't Say That He Has--Be Assured That We

Have Not Accepted It, And Would Not Under Any Consideration Whatever. If

A Similar Offer Was Made By Your Party, It Would Meet With The Same

Consideration. We Are Americans, And Strangers To The Soil, And If We

Can Remain Neutral We Shall. Our Countrymen Are Their Own Masters, And

Can Do As They Please. If Our Advice Was Asked, We Should Tell Them To

Keep To Work, And Out Of Harm's Way. Is Our Position Explicit Enough?"

 

"I Am Satisfied, And Will So State To Those With Whom I Am Connected,"

Mr. Ross Replied, Offering His Hand In Token Of His Friendship; "I Must

Say There Was Some Talk Of The Rash And Ignorant, Last Night, To Set

Fire To Your Store. I Managed, By Conciliating Measures, To Induce Them

To Postpone All Action Until I Was Satisfied That You Were With The

Government In Feeling."

 

"If That Is The Manner In Which The Struggle Is To Be Carried On,"

Remarked Fred, "Be Assured That You Will Fail In Your Endeavors To

Obtain Justice. No Cause Ever Yet Prospered Where The Torch Of An

Incendiary Was Invoked To Burn And Destroy Wantonly. Hearts That

Sympathize With You Now Would Soon Become Alienated, And Turn To The

Government For Protection."

 

"I Feel The Force Of Your Remarks," Replied Mr. Ross, In A Sorrowful

Tone, "And I Am Aware That They Are Just; But What Can I Do? I Am

Considered At The Head Of The Dissatisfied Miners, Yet I Have No More

Real Control Over Them Than I Have Over You At This Moment. They Are

Undisciplined, And Fierce As Young Bears Anxious For A Taste Of Blood.

If I Counsel Honorable Resistance, I Am Laughed At; If I Request

Moderation, I Am Accused Of Cowardice. What Can I Do With Such Men As

These?"

 

"We Cannot Advise, For Our Advice Would Not Be Taken," Replied Fred;

"But If I Was Placed In Your Position I Know What I Should Do."

 

"Name It," Said Ross, Eagerly.

 

"Enforce Discipline, Or Resign," Was The Reply.

 

"But The Miners Refuse To Drill, Or To Be Governed By Military Laws."

 

"Then Let Them Look To Themselves, And Tell Them So Boldly. My Word For

It, That Will Bring Them To Reason, For Where Can They Find Another

Leader That Commands The Confidence That You Do? Remember, With A Mob, A

Very Few Words Sways Them For Bad Or Good. Try The Good, And Await The

Result."

 

"Your Advice Shall Be Taken, Although I Have But Faint Hope Of

Volume 2 Chapter 80 ( Steel Spring In The Field.--Attempt Of The Commissioner To Confiscate Our Horses) Pg 238

Succeeding With The Men. I Can Make An Attempt, And If I Die In Seeking

To Secure The Freedom Of The Miners, It Shall Never Be Said That I

Counselled Extreme Measures Against Those Who Wished To Remain Neutral."

 

Again He Shook Hands With Us, And Then Left The Store In A Sorrowful And

Thoughtful Mood, As Though He Felt A Foreboding Of His Coming Death, Yet

Determined To Yield His Life For The Benefit Of His Brother Miners.

 

"There Goes A Man Who Is Thrusting His Head Into The Lion's Mouth, And

In Less Than A Week He Will Meet A Traitor's Death, Or Suffer

Imprisonment For Life At The Hulks. He Has Been Marked And Watched For

Months, And Be Assured That The Commissioner Will Not Let Him Escape.

Well, It Is No Business Of Mine." And Mr. Brown Refilled His Pipe, And

Threw His Weary Form Upon A Mattress, An Example That I Was Not Slow To

Follow.

 

It Was Late In The Afternoon When We Awoke, Refreshed And Ready For

Work, But As Business Was Not Very Brisk, We Walked About The Town Until

Supper Time.

 

Mr. Brown And Myself Strolled Towards Gravel Pit Hill, And To Our

Surprise Saw A Large Body Of Men, Armed With Rifles, Shot Guns, And Old

Muskets Of The Most Antique Description, Going Through A Dress Parade,

As Military Men Would Call It, Although Candor Compels Me To Confess

That The Costumes Were Not Of The Most _Recherche_ Description, As No

Two Were Dressed Alike, And No Two Held Their Guns In The Same Position.

 

"What Is Going On?" I Asked Of A Fellow Who Stood Looking At The Scene

With Open Mouth.

 

"Can't You See For Yourselves?" Was The Prompt Reply, And The Answer Was

Delivered Without Deigning To Turn His Head.

 

"You Might Be Civil, At Any Rate," I Replied, Half A Mind To Kick Him

For His Impertinence To Us.

 

"Don't Come Round 'Ere Bothering Me, Young Men," Said The Fellow, With A

Wave Of His Hand, As Though Desirous Of Cutting Short The Conversation.

 

I Thought That I Recognized The Voice, Although I Was Not Certain.

Neither Had I Seen The Fellow's Face, Except By Profile, So I Just Laid

A Hand Upon His Shoulder, Gave Him A Whirl And Brought Him To The Right

About Face. My Suspicions Were Verified; I Stood Face To Face With My

Old Rascally Friend, Steel Spring.

 

"Why, You Scamp, Where Did You Come From?" I Asked.

 

"That's The Vay Vid The Vorld," The Fellow Said, Putting One Hand To His

Eyes As Though Overcome By The Unexpected Interview; "A Covey Tries To

Be Honest, And Get A Honest Livin', But Up Comes Somebody Vot Has Been

Concerned Vid Him In The Grab Line, And Insists Upon Being Acquainted.

I'll Leave This 'Ere Country, I Vill."

 

"Why, You Rascal!" Exclaimed The Ex-Inspector, "I've A Good Mind To Lock

Volume 2 Chapter 80 ( Steel Spring In The Field.--Attempt Of The Commissioner To Confiscate Our Horses) Pg 239

You Up Until You Eat Humble Pie For Six Weeks To Come."

 

"No, You Don't," Replied Steel Spring, With A Chuckle, "'Cos You Ain't

Inspector No More, No How, And You Can't Lock A Covey Up, And You Know

It."

 

"He Has You There, Mr. Brown," I Remarked, And It Pleased Steel Spring

So Much That He Condescended To Regard Us With A Little More Favor.

 

"If He Has," Replied Mr. Brown, "I've Got Him On Another Tack That Would

Give Him Trouble. Come, Tell Us What You Are Doing Here."

 

"Can't You See?" He Answered, Impudently. "I'm Looking At That Awkward

Squad Of Miners Drilling, And Pretty Bad Vork They Make Of It."

 

"But Are You In The Breaking And Entering Line, Or The Pickpocket

Business?" Mr. Brown