“I can’t say that I fully comprehend you.  Can’t you be a little more explicit?” Fred asked.

“Sartainly.  This ’ere island is rich—­more gold is exported than from California—­immense droves of sheep is scattered all over it, and all kinds of garden stuff will grow in abundance, if only planted.  You understand me now, don’t you?”

“I am still in the dark,"’ replied Fred, trying hard to refrain from a smile at the mention of “garden stuff.”

The two visitors again exchanged glances, when Charley sank his voice still lower.

“What do you think of annexation, hey?”

“What, annex Australia to the United States?” we exclaimed, in astonishment.

“Hush!  Don’t blart it out in that way, ’cos the thing is a secret as yet.  We have got to work to bring the thing ’bout, but it can be done.”

“And, pray, in what manner?” we asked, somewhat amused to find that even Australia was not safe from the Yankee’s covetousness.

“In this ’ere manner.  The Britishers feel riled at the idea of paying taxes on mining, and when we tell ’em that in California every body can dig as long as they darn please, without paying a dime, they feel madder than ever.  Of course, we don’t check that ’ere feeling at all.  O, no; we stirs ’em up, and preaches how great a blessing it is to belong to a free and enlightened government like the United States of America.”

“Well, go on and explain the whole method.”

“I’m coming on as fast as I can.  By and by the fellers round here say that we won’t pay any more tax, and then the government says you shall, and tell the sogers to collect it; and while they is doing that, some miner resists and is killed, and then we have something to work upon, and, we begin to stir people up by telling ’em how badly we’ve been treated; and then a soger gets knocked on the head by some lucky accident, and we have a fight with the red coats, and lick ’em, and then war is declared between us, and at it we go for a few months, till we have driven every red coat out of the country, and then declare that it is a republic, and that we’ll do as we please.”

“Why, this is treason,” we exclaimed, amazed at his audacity.

“I know that old Ben Franklin, Geo. Washington, and others were called traitors for talking in the same way during the revolution, but their cause was just and triumphed at last,” replied Charley, dogmatically.

“But you don’t compare your sufferings and oppression to that which our revolutionary fathers bore, do you?”

“I don’t know ’bout that.  We is taxed, and so were the old fellers that we read about who fought and died for our benefit, and I think we ain’t worthy of the name of Yankees unless we resist all taxes!”

“But suppose that the English government should feel inclined to yield and vacate the island, leaving the people of Australia to make laws for themselves, what course should you pursue?”