"Will you be kind enough to inform me how those animals came in your possession?" interrogated the stranger.
"I don't know what business it is of yours," returned Fred, with some asperity; "but as we seek to disguise nothing, I will frankly inform you that we purchased the horses and paid for them."
"A likely story, truly; I never yet knew the police of Melbourne to sell their spare horses."
At these words, we saw that the crowd looked at each other suspiciously, and appeared to regard us as being guilty of some serious crime.
"When you show us your authority for asking questions, we will explain matters." I replied, after a moment's hesitation.
"Perhaps you will explain before it suits your convenience," the little man said, ironically; "I heard of the quarrel and the duel which one of you has been engaged in, and while investigating, I took occasion to look at the horses which you rode. You will imagine that I was surprised to discover that each animal had upon his hind quarter the private mark of the police of Melbourne. I repeat, sir, that the authorities of that city are not in the habit of selling horses to adventurers."
The little man spoke confidently, and glanced around the crowd to see if his words were having an effect upon his audience. Thinking that he would complete our humiliation, he continued:—
"Our worthy miners here at Ballarat, have sometimes been put to great trouble by losing the dust which they have sent to the cities, and I think that I am right in demanding, in their name, a strict account of all suspicious people who visit us."
This was a shrewd bit of acting on the part of the little man, for he instantly carried all the miners with him. Hardly one present but had suffered at the hands of the bushrangers, and was anxious to avenge his loss.
"Let the fellers show who they is," the crowd began to murmur; and even our former friend, Charley, I observed, joined in the cry, while Ben remained silent, and drank two more glasses of whiskey during the tumult.