“But are you in the breaking and entering line, or the pickpocket business?” Mr. Brown asked.

“I don’t answer any questions vot reflects on my honor as a gentleman,” Steel Spring replied.

“But you can tell us what occasioned you to leave the service of Lieutenant Murden, can’t you?” I remarked.

“I could tell, but I don’t choose to.”

“Very well,” was the significant remark of my friend, “I know of a few knucks who are in town, and whom you were the means of burning out a few months since.  I am not in the police department at present, and can’t harm you, but I will hint to a few friends that you are in town.”

We turned, as though about to leave him, but Steel Spring was not desirous of having a horde of desperadoes at his heels, as he inferred that he would have, if he suffered us to leave him displeased.  “O, don’t quit a covey that vay,” he cried, in an abject manner; “I don’t vant to ’ave lots of henemies varever I goes, and you knows it.”

“Well, then, tell us what made you quit Murden’s service?” I asked.

He hesitated for a moment, as though almost resolved to tell a lie, but thought better of it and told the truth.

“Vell, if ye must know, I’ll tell ye.  There vas a trifling sum of money missed from the police office one day, and I vos suspected.  That’s all.”

“Of course, you took the money, eh?” Mr. Brown remarked.

“I vish that you vouldn’t ask me such strange questions.  You is enough to confuse any one, I say.”

“Did you take the money?” demanded Mr. Brown.

“Vell, yes, I s’pose I did.  At leastwise it vas found on me, although how it came in my pocket I don’t know,” and the fellow chuckled at his falsehood.

“And I suppose Murden told you that he had no further occasion for your services,” I remarked.

“I think that he said something of the kind, but I vas so confused that I don’t remember all that took place.  I know one thing, though, that I ain’t forgot.”

“Well, what is it?”

“Vy, a slight kicking that I got, and a request never to show my head in Melbourne again;” and the fellow rubbed his person as though it was still sore.

“Now, one question more,” Mr. Brown said; “what brought you to this part of the country?”

Steel Spring hesitated for a moment, and then requested us to promise secrecy before he divulged.  We readily complied, when he asked us to step one side, and where we could be sure not to be overheard.  We withdrew from the stragglers who were loitering about, followed by Steel Spring.

“I’ve got something to do that pays better than vaiting on Lieutenant Murden,” he whispered.

“Is the occupation honest?” I asked.

“If it hadn’t been you vouldn’t have caught me connected vid it,” was the prompt reply.

“That we can tell after we have heard what you are doing.  Go on.”