“God bless me, it isn’t possible that these are the two Americans who have been killing and making prisoners of those bushranging villains?  Why, they have hardly grown to be men!”

The governor seemed to forget the fire, for he surveyed us through his eye-glass, and whispered to members of his suite, and said that he hoped “God would bless him;” and I am sure I hope that the Almighty will, for Mr. Latrobe has asked for it often enough.

Fred and myself were the centre of observation, and perhaps our modesty was a little touched, for we heard the captain whisper to Colonel Hensen, something like the following:—­

“Murden tells me they are perfect dare-devils, and care no more for a gang of bushrangers than for a troop of kangaroos.  I am going to coax them to enter the service.”

I don’t think that by morning there would have been a single Jewish house or Christian store left in Collins Street if we had not again reminded the governor that the fire was raging more fiercely than ever, and that if the flames were to be checked it was high time to commence work.

“Our American friends are right,” said Colonel Hensen, “and if your excellency is disposed to comply with their request no time is to be lost.”

“God bless me, then let them go to work without delay.  I give them full power to take as many men as they please to work the engines, and if they succeed in quenching the flames they shall be well rewarded.”

“We ask for no reward, sir,” I said, “but we do ask for one hundred of these soldiers.  Let them be despatched after the machines without delay.”

The governor hesitated for a moment, and then gave Colonel Hensen directions to comply with my request.

Two companies deposited their arms in a building near by, and were detailed for the duty, while an officer was sent to hunt up the water carts, and get them filled at the river, so that the engines could have something to work upon.

We set Smith at work hunting up buckets, and then accepted volunteers, who formed a long line, and passed the pails back and forth with great rapidity.

A dozen reckless miners, just from the diggings, clambered to the tops of the houses nearest to the fire, and dashed the water on the roof and sides, and by this means held the flames in check until other lines were formed.  In half an hour nearly fifteen hundred buckets were at work, and thrice that number of volunteers were lending their aid.

Fred and myself were every where, encouraging and giving directions; the police, seconded our efforts, and saw that our orders were carried into effect, and they did so the more readily because we recognized all of our old companions of bush-hunting memory, and they quickly imparted our history to the rest of the force.

By the time our lines were in good working order we heard the rumbling of the engines, and with hearty cheers the soldiers dashed into the hollow square, the crowd opening to the right and left to admit them.  With perfect firemen’s enthusiasm they ran the machines close to the flames, unlimbered the huge tongues which obstructed half the street, and were nearly as large as the engines themselves, and then, with a recollection of their discipline, touched their fatigue caps, and asked what was to be the next move.