The man relinquished his animal without a word, and we rode towards the town, followed at a short distance by the squad of policemen.  As we passed along the main thoroughfare of Ballarat, a crowd of people assembled to greet us, for already the news had circulated extensively that a large gang of bushrangers had been broken up through our instrumentality; and the miners were rejoiced at the intelligence, for they were more interested than any other class of people in freeing the country of robbers, so that escorts of gold dust could pass to the large cities without molestation.  Under these circumstances the police were cheered, and that was something that had not occurred since the struggle between the government and the miners had commenced regarding the mining tax.

“You see how much we are indebted to you,” remarked the inspector, with a grim smile, as we helped him from his horse upon reaching his quarters.  “To-morrow the knaves would cheer just as lustily if we were driven from the town.  Good by—­don’t fail to come and see me early to-morrow morning.”

And with these parting words we turned our horses’ heads and started for our store, where we found Rover keeping guard, and every thing safe.  Tired with our day’s jaunt, we resisted several pressing invitations to attend the indignation meeting that was to be holden that evening by the miners, and went to bed early.

CHAPTER XLIV.

THRASHING A BULLY.

We slept long past, our usual hour for rising, and were awakened by the violent baying of Rover, and loud shouts of “Kill him! kill him!”

The cries were near our premises, and we lost no time in throwing on our clothes and seeking to investigate the matter.  A crowd of people were hurrying towards the banks of the river, or rather what was a river in the wet season, for at the present time there was not water enough in its bed to quench the thirst of a bird, and we joined them without delay.

“What is the matter?” I asked of one excited individual, who appeared more anxious to get in at the death than his companions.

“Darned if I know.  I heard the cry of ‘Kill him,’ and I suppose somebody has been stealing something.  Don’t bother me with questions, for I want to be in at the death.”

Another wild shout from the crowd in front hastened our movements, and Fred and myself threw ourselves into the excited mass, and strove to gain a place where we could afford some help to the thief, in case the confusion was occasioned by one.  By struggling desperately we managed to got into the centre of the crowd, and saw that a young man was in the custody of two miners, and that they were disposed to take summary vengeance upon the fellow for the alleged crime of stealing their dust, which they had concealed in their tent.  All this was told to us in the space of a few seconds’ time, and meanwhile the air was filled with cries of “Kill him,” “Lynch him,” “Hang him,” “Let’s stone him to death,” &c.