“As soon as a conflict does occur, the government will be defeated.  It may not be in fighting battles, but it will be in public resentment.  Let ten or a dozen miners be killed by the police or soldiers, and the governor-general and his council will be driven from the country by popular opinion.

“The mother country, as she valued her possession, would not dare to retain him or friends in office, for if they did, a revolution would be the consequence.  With the retirement of the government, all those who had aided it would be compelled to leave, or all those who had taken a prominent part in the warfare against the miners.  Therefore, if you desire to make Australia a home, don’t be mixed up in the present struggle, if possible.”

“I am half inclined to think that you are right,” Murden said, at length.

“I also begin to think so,” the inspector remarked.

“I’ve hall ’long hentertained similar hideas,” Steel Spring said, but he was not attended to.

“But we are officers of the police force, and must respond when called for duty,” the lieutenant observed.

“Granted,” replied Fred; “but it is very easy to get exchanged, especially if the request is backed with a rare specimen nugget.”

The two officers exchanged glances, and nodded acquiescence in the views promulgated.

“I think,” Murden said, “that my time will be so occupied with affairs at Melbourne that I shall not be able to visit Ballarat again this year.”

“And I have an intense desire to be near an uncle of mine in Sydney.  Will you, Mr. Murden, forward my petition for an exchange?” asked the inspector, with a smile of great meaning.

“It will give me great pleasure to undertake the commission.  I have heard of some very fine specimens of gold being taken from these mines,” the lieutenant added.

“It will give me great satisfaction to forward two pieces that I owe to our worthy chief, and will you tell him that I anticipate obtaining a third piece after I am exchanged?”

“And what report had I better carry back to Melbourne?” the lieutenant asked.

“You can say that you gave me the necessary instructions, but there is no hope of coping with the miners unless five thousand troops, with cannon, are on the ground.  That will startle government, you may depend,” the inspector answered, earnestly.

“And let us keep our counsel.  There is no need that we should inform our superiors that through our stupidity their well-laid plans have been destroyed, and the miners acquainted with what is in store for them.  Eh, Mr. Brown?”

“Certainly not, sir,” promptly responded that individual.

“Ve should lose our reputation for shrewdness if ve did,” muttered Steel Spring, but his master overheard him, and gave him a kick as a reward.

And in this manner was it settled, that government should not be enlightened in regard to the information which the miners had obtained, and it was owing to the plot being overheard at our store that the people of Ballarat were enabled to abolish the odious mining tax, and to accomplish that, were prepared for the soldiers when they did arrive.