scorching us with its rays, although, when we started, the air was quite
cool, and a jacket was not uncomfortable.

"How far is Geelong from Melbourne?" I asked, after we had relieved
ourselves of the rifles.

"Between fifty and sixty miles."

"Do we pass near the town?"

"No, we branch off near Mount Macedonskirt, the range of mountains by
that name, and which you can see in the distance; cross a barren tract
of country, where no water but sink-holes is to be found for forty
miles; strike the mines of Victoria; and then we are near the gold
fields of Ballarat."

"Where I hope we shall make a fortune and return to Melbourne in less
than six months," Fred cried.

"Amen," ejaculated Smith; but he smiled as he thought what a slight
chance there was of our prayers being answered.

We met some half a dozen teams on their way back to Melbourne from the
mines, and we surveyed the drivers as we would rare animals, for they
were covered with a thick coating of white dust that had filled their
hair and whiskers, and looked as though a bushel of corn meal had been
scattered over their heads.

Each cart contained two or more invalids, who appeared, by their
dejected air, to have taken farewell of the world, and didn't think it