up the gaping black mouths of circular shafts and silvered the water
that flooded abandoned oblong holes to their brim. Tents and huts stood
white and forsaken in the moonlight: their owners were either gathered
on Bakery Hill, or had repaired to one of the gambling and dancing
saloons that lined the main street. Arrived at the store he set his
frantic dog free, and putting a match to his pipe, began to stroll up
and down.

He felt annoyed with himself for having helped to swell the crowd of
malcontents; and still more for his foolishness in giving the rein to a
momentary irritation. As if it mattered a doit what trash these
foreigners talked! No thinking person took their bombast seriously; the
authorities, with great good sense, let it pass for what it was--a
noisy blowing-off of steam. At heart, the diggers were as sound as good
pippins.

A graver consideration was Purdy's growing fellowship with the rebel
faction. The boy was too young and still too much of a fly-by-night to
have a black mark set against his name. It would be the more absurd,
considering that his sincerity in espousing the diggers' cause was far
from proved. He was of a nature to ride tantivy into anything that
promised excitement or adventure. With, it must regretfully be admitted,
an increasing relish for the limelight, for theatrical effect--see the
cunning with which he had made capital out of a bandaged ankle and dirty
dress! At this rate, and with his engaging ways, he would soon stand for
a little god to the rough, artless crowd. No, he must leave the diggings
--and Mahony rolled various schemes in his mind. He had it! In the
course of the next week or two business would make a journey to
Melbourne imperative. Well, he would damn the extra expense and take the
boy along with him! Purdy was at a loose end, and would no doubt rise