“Do?” replied our ardent friend, without a moment’s hesitation, “appoint the proper officers, elect a president, and have a senate and house of representatives, jist as they do at Washington.”

“And what then?” we inquired.

“Why, after we had got to going we’d send a feller, and I know one who would do first rate, to the United States, and after playing our keerds putty well, we’d agree to annex Australia to the United States, and we’d do it, too, by thunder.”

We could hardly retain our countenances long enough to listen to the splendid burst of expectation which Charley had dreamed upon so long, that he really fancied his project was practicable.  Conquest first, and annexation afterwards, is the theme upon which Americans harp when in strange lands.

“You don’t know the feller that I have in my mind’s eye!” Charley said, after a few minutes’ silence.

“No, I am not acquainted with any of my countrymen here at Ballarat,” Fred replied, with a vacant look.

“The fellow that I know hain’t bin here in Ballarat a great while.”

“Indeed.”

“Yes; and though I don’t know your name, I reckon you’d do the trick putty neat.”

“O,” answered Fred, with a smile, “it’s me that is to be honored with so delicate a mission, is it?  To what am I indebted for the selection?”

“Wall, we want your help to stir the folks up, and no mistake.  Me and Ben have been and talked the matter over, and we’ve agreed to let you have that ’ere office, if you will back us up; Ben is to do a good part of the fighting, and I’m to negotiate.”

“We will take your proposition into consideration.  But there is one thing that you have forgotten.  What offices are my two friends here to get?”

“O, we’ll make ’em senators, or somethin’ of that sort.  They shall be cared for in some way or other.”

I could only bow my thanks to the kind gentleman, but before I could reply, the inspector joined us.

“Ah, Ben, you and Charley here,” he said, in a careless way.  “How does the indignation meetings and the petitions get along?”

“Wall, we have another meetin’ to-night, and I think that it will be a rouser.  We shall make ourselves heard yet, Mr. Brown.”

“I have no doubt that you will, but it will be in a different manner from what you anticipate.  Let me advise moderation, or there may be trouble.”

“There kin be a muss if we is disregarded, and made to pay for what we don’t have,” answered Ben, sullenly; and with that shot the Americans left the tent.

“Of all the unreasonable brutes that I ever encountered, the miners of Ballarat appear to be the worst,” ejaculated Mr. Brown.  “That fellow, Charley, has not worked ten weeks in the mines, and yet he talks as glibly of the evils of taxation as though the government was wringing the last shilling from his possession.  He is a pot house wrangler, as we call them in England, and is a positive nuisance at Ballarat”