"Why can't you drink your ale without my presence?" he asked, impatiently.
"'Cos we don't approve of haristocracy here in Ballarat, and it would make the miners think that you didn't want to 'sociate with 'em. It wouldn't do."
"But if you should tell them that I am slightly injured, and need rest, wouldn't that have some effect?" Fred inquired, driven almost to desperation.
"Well, the only effect it would have you'd be obliged to receive the folks in your tent, and perhaps that would not be agreeable. But you can do jist as you please, remember. I've been at Ballarat for six months, and I should think I know'd the ideas and habits of the miners purty well."
"For Heaven's sake, let us go to your place without delay, and get through with the business. I've half a mind to turn my back upon Ballarat to-morrow," cried Fred.
"You won't do that, I reckon, while there's so much of the root of all evil in the ground. Why, I s'pose you come up here to get rich, and you is going jist the right way to work to do it. To-morrow you'll be the most popular man in the mines, and there's no telling what the boys may do for you. Perhaps send you a delegate to the governor-general, to ask him to clip off the taxes which we have to pay for digging gold. I tell you there's a brilliant future before you, so come along."
We could not resist such a plea, and, followed by about half a thousand miners, teamsters, and idlers, we gained the saloon owned by our friend, which proved to be the much vaunted "Californian Retreat."
The saloon was made of sail cloth, not exactly in the form of a tent, for a slight frame was visible of a square order, and to the joist was the cloth tacked. A few rough boards, evidently taken from boxes, formed the bar, or counter, and half a dozen shelves were nailed up behind it, composed of the same material.
On the shelves were a dozen or more black bottles, and three cracked tumblers stood upon the bar ready to use. A pitcher of water, that almost steamed with heat, was arrayed before the tumblers; but that, I imagine, was intended as an ornament, and not for use, for I did not observe, while I was at the mines, a man make use of such liquid to qualify his liquor. The merchants of Melbourne and the carriers of freight between the city and the mines saved them the trouble.