“I ask ten thousand pardons,” he said, “for my questions, but I am obliged to keep a strict guard over my property, or I should be surprised by the forest rovers, who would amply repay the numerous checks which they have received at my hands, were they able to do so.”

“Make no apologies,” I replied, “for I don’t blame you for classing me with suspicious characters; but the fact is, we have passed through a cordon of flames, and I think our clothing is somewhat damaged, and our personal appearance not very prepossessing.  We should not have troubled you had not necessity compelled us.”

“No trouble, no trouble,” he exclaimed, with all the heartiness of an Englishman who is disposed to be friendly; “I am always glad to see company, provided, of course, it’s the right kind.”

By this time Mr. Brown and Day had joined us, and were waiting to receive the same welcome that had been bestowed upon me.  I introduced them in due form, and gave Mr. Brown his ex-title, which pleased him excessively.

“I know you,” Mr. Wright said, addressing Mr. Brown.  “Haven’t we met before?”

“I should say that we had,” replied my friend, scanning the farmer’s face keenly.

“You were stationed at one time in Melbourne?” Mr. Wright inquired.

“For a number of years.”

“And of course you remember that I landed at that city ten years since, with one hundred pounds in my pocket?”

“Large numbers of emigrants arrived with more money than that,” replied the ex-inspector.

“But my case was a peculiar one, for the first night that I stopped on shore my hundred pounds were stolen,” continued Mr. Wright.

“Quite a common case,” my friend said; “women are fair to look upon after a long sea voyage.”

“D——­ it, you have ’hit the nail on its head,” cried the Englishman, hastily.  “I lost all my money.”

“I knew you would say that, if you told all.  Go on.”

“I complained to the police, and you investigated the circumstances, and found my hundred pounds after some trouble,” he continued.  “Be thankful that I was young and inexperienced at that period,” cried the ex-inspector, with a laugh.

“More—­you refused to accept of a reward that I offered for the recovery of the money.”

“I must have been dreaming.  I am glad to think that there is one circumstance in my life that I can refer to and not blush,” cried my friend, jocosely.

“Bah!” cried the farmer, who didn’t believe that Mr. Brown was speaking what he felt.  “You gave me good advice, and from it I trace all my property.”

“I am glad to think that I have given one person good advice in my lifetime.  I wish that I had taken some of it myself.”

“I followed your directions and bought stock with my hundred pounds, and now look around and see my flocks.  I count my cattle by the thousands,” continued Mr. Wright, pointing to his immense pens.