The little man laughed in a quiet manner, as though he did not wish to commit himself by being too jovial.

“I think that you have hit upon the right one,” he said, “for my name is Brown.”

“Then you shall have the note,” I replied; “but I should never have thought of looking for the one that it is addressed to.”

“O, yes you would,” he replied, confidently.

“Why do you think so?” I asked.

“Because you will hear my name mentioned oftener at Ballarat than any other.”

“And pray, may we he so bold as to ask what your position is, that gives you so great a notoriety?”

“Ask?  To be sure you may,” returned the little man; “I am the police inspector of Ballarat, and my name is James Brown, very much at your service.”

“We have mingled with the police so much since we have been in Australia, that we almost consider ourselves as belonging to the department.  We are therefore sorry that we were not introduced to your notice under better auspices,” Fred said.

“O, you alluded to that shooting affair to-night.  That did not amount to much, although I must say that I wish you had killed the bully, for he has given me more trouble than any other man at the mines.  He is as desperate a scoundrel as ever went unhanged, and had he been killed outright, there are few who would mourn his fate.”

“That may be true, yet I have always a great repugnance to shedding human blood,” replied Fred, in a sorrowful tone.

Mr. Inspector Brown stopped for a moment, as though surprised by the answer.

“I had the same kind of feeling once, yet it is many years since.  A long residence in Australia has blunted all my finer sensibilities, and I have witnessed so much crime and cruelty, that I am unmoved now, even when a poor wretch is gasping forth his last words.  I have often thought that I would give all the gold that the mines of Australia yield if I was but young again, and possessed the same sympathizing heart that I did once.”

By this time we had reached our tent, and our approach was challenged by a deep bay from Rover, whom we had left to guard our baggage.

“A splendid animal,” remarked the inspector, as he sought to lay his hand upon Rover’s head; but the dog resented the liberty, and growled menacingly.

“He deserves all your praise,” I replied, pleased at the conduct of the brute, and doubly pleased to hear a deserved tribute to his ability.

“If you ever feel disposed to part with him,” the inspector hinted, “I will not haggle about his price.”

“I will never sell him,” I answered.

“Where did you obtain him, for I see that he is of English breed?” asked Inspector Brown.

We entered the tent, where we found Smith, who had preceded us from the Californian’s Retreat, and, after finding a seat for Mr. Brown, we related the manner in which Rover had started us by his deep bays, on the night of our first encampment by the hut of the old convict.