hairman called order, but did not appear surprised at the turn
which things had taken.

The next speaker was a Scotch miner, who declared that he was no slave,
and was not afraid to let the Governor General of Australia know it. He
thought that if there was an Eden in this world, that Scotland would
have to be visited to find it. He declared that he had rather live in
his native country, and subsist upon oatmeal porridge, than remain in
Australia and dig gold, and that the reason he paid a mining tax, was
because he wanted to encourage the English to continue their outrages.

The next speaker was our late friend Charley. He alluded to the American
Eagle, touched on Bunker Hill, eulogized the Declaration of
Independence, admired the Revolution, and then artfully proceeded to
depicture the prosperity that Australia would be likely to enjoy, if
separated from the mother country, and become a republic. Then, he said,
taxation would be equal, and money would not be wrung from the
hard-working miners to support governors and other officials in luxury.
While Mr. Charley was shouting with all his might, and trying to infuse
a little of his own warmth into his hearers, a little, decrepit old man,
with long, gray hair and shabby clothes, edged towards us, as though to
enter into conversation.

"Well, I don't know but the man is right," the old man said, after
listening a few minutes in silence. His dialect was broad Yorkshire, and
we mentally concluded that he belonged in that part of England.

"There's a great dale in havin' independence, and all that. What d'ye
think about it?"

The interrogation was addressed so pointedly that there was no chance to
escape without an answer; but we had lived too long in foreign countries
to commit ourselves on any question that was likely to cause us trouble.

"We have not given the subject a thought to-day. When we have made up
our minds, we will let you know," returned Fred.

"Well, that is singular," the old man returned; "I always supposed that
ye 'Mericans was riddy to declare that yer own country was the best. But
don't ye think that Australia would make a great addition to the
States?"

"We don't care to talk on the subject," rejoined Fred, shortly, seeing
that a number of miners began to gather around, to listen to the
discussion.

"That is capital," whispered a voice that we knew; "I am glad to see
that you take no interest in the knave's fancies."

We felt a strong pressu