_ CHAPTER LXXXI. STEEL SPRING IN THE FIELD.--ATTEMPT OF THE COMMISSIONER TO CONFISCATE OUR HORSES
"I don't want to be severe in my language," Mr. Brown said, as he listened to the receding steps of the commissioner, "but in my opinion a more thorough d----d scoundrel don't exist than that same commissioner, who just set a trap for you, and caught nothing."
"In that opinion I will agree most heartily," replied Fred; "he imagines that we possess some influence over our countrymen, and he wished, by a little flattery, and a lucrative position, to attach us to his party. We will have nothing to do with the quarrel, but endeavor to take care of our property and our lives by keeping out of the fight, if, unfortunately, there is one."
While Fred was speaking, a smart, intelligent man, named Ross, who was regarded as the head of the rebellious movement, entered the store.
"I have made an early call," he said, "but not for the purpose of trading. The fact of it is, I heard it reported last night--in what manner is of little consequence--that you, gentlemen, were to be offered an official position under the commissioner. I chanced to see that gentleman when he left your premises, a few minutes since, and I thought that there might be color for the rumor. It is for the miners' interest and your own that the report should be contradicted, or else confirmed. I come to you as a friend, to ask which side you espouse. If you think that the miners are wrong, do not hesitate to say so, for I may then be enabled to render you some assistance, not by advice alone, but in a practical manner."
"If we thought your party was wrong, be assured that we should say so without equivocation," replied Fred; "we do not wish to take part in the struggle that is about to take place, and rest satisfied that we shall not, unless obliged to defend our property. If the commissioner has made a proposition to us--and I don't say that he has--be assured that we have not accepted it, and would not under any consideration whatever. If a similar offer was made by your party, it would meet with the same consideration. We are Americans, and strangers to the soil, and if we can remain neutral we shall. Our countrymen are their own masters, and can do as they please. If our advice was asked, we should tell them to keep to work, and out of harm's way. Is our position explicit enough?"
"I am satisfied, and will so state to those with whom I am connected," Mr. Ross replied, offering his hand in token of his friendship; "I must say there was some talk of the rash and ignorant, last night, to set fire to your store. I managed, by conciliating measures, to induce them to postpone all action until I was satisfied that you were with the government in feeling."
"If that is the manner in which the struggle is to be carried on," remarked Fred, "be assured that you will fail in your endeavors to obtain justice. No cause ever yet prospered where the torch of an incendiary was invoked to burn and destroy wantonly. Hearts that sympathize with you now would soon become alienated, and turn to the government for protection."
"I feel the force of your remarks," replied Mr. Ross, in a sorrowful tone, "and I am aware that they are just; but what can I do? I am considered at the head of the dissatisfied miners, yet I have no more real control over them than I have over you at this moment. They are undisciplined, and fierce as young bears anxious for a taste of blood. If I counsel honorable resistance, I am laughed at; if I request moderation, I am accused of cowardice. What can I do with such men as these?"
"We cannot advise, for our advice would not be taken," replied Fred; "but if I was placed in your position I know what I should do."
"Name it," said Ross, eagerly.
"Enforce discipline, or resign," was the reply.
"But the miners refuse to drill, or to be governed by military laws."
"Then let them look to themselves, and tell them so boldly. My word for it, that will bring them to reason, for where can they find another leader that commands the confidence that you do? Remember, with a mob, a very few words sways them for bad or good. Try the good, and await the result."
"Your advice shall be taken, although I have but faint hope of succeeding with the men. I can make an attempt, and if I die in seeking to secure the freedom of the miners, it shall never be said that I counselled extreme measures against those who wished to remain neutral."
Again he shook hands with us, and then left the store in a sorrowful and thoughtful mood, as though he felt a foreboding of his coming death, yet determined to yield his life for the benefit of his brother miners.
"There goes a man who is thrusting his head into the lion's mouth, and in less than a week he will meet a traitor's death, or suffer imprisonment for life at the hulks. He has been marked and watched for months, and be assured that the commissioner will not let him escape. Well, it is no business of mine." And Mr. Brown refilled his pipe, and threw his weary form upon a mattress, an example that I was not slow to follow.
It was late in the afternoon when we awoke, refreshed and ready for work, but as business was not very brisk, we walked about the town until supper time.
Mr. Brown and myself strolled towards Gravel Pit Hill, and to our surprise saw a large body of men, armed with rifles, shot guns, and old muskets of the most antique description, going through a dress parade, as military men would call it, although candor compels me to confess that the costumes were not of the most _recherche_ description, as no two were dressed alike, and no two held their guns in the same position.
"What is going on?" I asked of a fellow who stood looking at the scene with open mouth.
"Can't you see for yourselves?" was the prompt reply, and the answer was delivered without deigning to turn his head.
"You might be civil, at any rate," I replied, half a mind to kick him for his impertinence to us.
"Don't come round 'ere bothering me, young men," said the fellow, with a wave of his hand, as though desirous of cutting short the conversation.
I thought that I recognized the voice, although I was not certain. Neither had I seen the fellow's face, except by profile, so I just laid a hand upon his shoulder, gave him a whirl and brought him to the right about face. My suspicions were verified; I stood face to face with my old rascally friend, Steel Spring.
"Why, you scamp, where did you come from?" I asked.
"That's the vay vid the vorld," the fellow said, putting one hand to his eyes as though overcome by the unexpected interview; "a covey tries to be honest, and get a honest livin', but up comes somebody vot has been concerned vid him in the grab line, and insists upon being acquainted. I'll leave this 'ere country, I vill."
"Why, you rascal!" exclaimed the ex-inspector, "I've a good mind to lock you up until you eat humble pie for six weeks to come."
"No, you don't," replied Steel Spring, with a chuckle, "'cos you ain't inspector no more, no how, and you can't lock a covey up, and you know it."
"He has you there, Mr. Brown," I remarked, and it pleased Steel Spring so much that he condescended to regard us with a little more favor.
"If he has," replied Mr. Brown, "I've got him on another tack that would give him trouble. Come, tell us what you are doing here."
"Can't you see?" he answered, impudently. "I'm looking at that awkward squad of miners drilling, and pretty bad vork they make of it."
"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."
"I'm engaged by the commissioner to endeavor to find out the feelings of these misguided men," Steel Spring said, still whispering.
"In other words, you are a spy," I remarked.
"Vell, I don't know about that," he said; "I'se promised to get all the facts that I can hear, and let the commissioner know 'em. If that is vot you call a spy, I s'pose I'm one on 'em."
"And the pay is large, I suppose?"
"Vell, I can find no fault in that line yet. I s'pose that I shall earn my money, no matter 'ow 'igh the wages is."
"Well, I don't envy you, if these rough miners get an inkling of your profession. Look out for them, for they don't understand practical joking," I remarked.
"That for 'em!" ejaculated Steel Spring, snapping his fingers. "I know something that vill take the edge off of 'em, if they show any of their spite."
"That's all talk," I replied.
"Perhaps it is;" and Steel Spring shook his head with mysterious silence.
"Give us the information, and let us see how important it is," Mr. Brown remarked.
"Vell, then, vot do you think of a company of artillery comin' 'ere?"
"Impossible!" I replied; "there's been no artillery ordered here as yet. There's soldiers and policemen enough."
"The commissioner don't think so, for four days ago he sent word to Melbourne for a company to come up and bring their guns vid 'em, and the coveys is already on their vay."
"Then he must have sent despatches that the miners know nothing about," remarked Mr. Brown, in a musing tone.
"Lord bless you, I should 'ope so," returned Steel Spring, with some disdain; "he is von of 'em for doing things up secret like, and vot he don't know ain't vorth knowing."
"This is news of some importance," I whispered to Mr. Brown; "the miners should know it, or they will be cut to pieces."
"We are to remain neutral, you know," Mr. Brown said, suggestively, and I felt that if I interfered I could no longer maintain my character as friend to both parties.
I turned to bribe Steel Spring to give the miners a hint of the approaching company, but that worthy had suddenly disappeared in the crowd, and all efforts to find him were fruitless.
For half an hour we remained upon the ground watching the evolutions of the miners, as they went through various military manoeuvres, and then we returned to the store to find that Smith had arrived during our absence, and had brought with him a large stock of goods, and that he and Fred were hard at work unloading them.
I of course joined them without delay, and by sundown the carts were unloaded, and the oxen secured for the night. We were all glad to see our partner, and innumerable were the questions with which we plied him, both before and after supper, and gladly did he answer them, and then produced for our perusal a pile of newspapers from Yankee land, which were worth more than ten times their weight in gold.
While we were sitting around our rude table, making up accounts and conversing about business, Steel Spring entered the store with as much assurance as a first class customer. Fred and Smith both welcomed him with a few remarks, but Steel Spring seemed somewhat hurried, and declined to be seated. At length he gave me a signal that he wished to communicate something to me in private, and I followed him to the door.
"I thought that I vould come and give ye a bit of news, 'cos ye alvays treated me vell," he said, in a low whisper, and after a careful glance around to see if there were listeners near at hand.
I acknowledged the remark, and he continued:--
"I heerd the commissioner give orders to-night that your 'osses should be seized in the morning for the sogers to ride on, and I think he is doing it out of spite." "But he has no right to touch private property," I remarked.
"Vot does you s'pose he cares for the right? He vill say that they is needed, and that is 'nough. You can't help yourselves, you can't. Vot is the use of talking?"
"But we will talk, and to some purpose," I replied, indignant at the outrage that was to be committed upon us.
"No, don't you say one vord, 'cos it vouldn't help the matter, and he could hinjure you more than the 'osses is vorth. Do you take and sell 'em. Don't you know some covey vot has got the ready tin vould buy 'em?"
"We had an offer this very morning for all three of the animals by the American stage company."
"Vas the hoffer a good one?" asked Steel Spring, in a low voice.
"Yes; all that the animals are worth."
"Then do you go at vonce and get the tin, and tell the coveys that you vant them taken off now--this werry evening. The commissioner von't interfere vid the stage company. He knows better."
I thanked Steel Spring for his information, and then whispered, while I placed some gold coins in his hand,--
"Don't you think that you could contrive to let Captain Ross know something in regard to the artillery company?"
"I s'pose you have some veighty reasons for axing me to do it?" the spy replied.
"So weighty, that ten sovereigns will be given to the man who conveys the information."
"Ten sovereigns," repeated the fellow, slowly, as though considering of the matter; "you don't know how it vould hinjure my conscience to sell the secrets of the commissioner."
"I will make them fifteen, then," I answered.
"That is somethin' like. The vork is done, and no mistake. The captain vill have the information. To-morrow I vill come for the shiners."
He left me suddenly, and stole silently away in the darkness, just as a policeman halted in front of the store and scrutinized the building as though it was a resort for traitors, and he was determined to keep his eye upon our movements. I knew the man, and he knew me, so I stopped to exchange a few words with him.
"How goes the war?" I asked.
The officer glanced hastily around to see if he was watched before he replied,--
"The times are hard, when we have to look after old acquaintances."
"Why, who are you watching for now?" I inquired.
"Why, I hope that your honor won't be offended, but I have got orders to report all who go into the store, and examine all who leave it."
"The commissioner is carrying matters with a high hand," I replied, "but we can afford to submit to some inconvenience, and still disregard his petty malice. Do your duty, and don't be fearful of offending us."
"I'll do what I am compelled to, and no more," was the response; "if the commissioner thinks I'm going to act the spy on your movements he's damnably mistaken, I can tell him."
The officer passed along on his beat, and I rejoined my friends and communicated Steel Spring's information. Every one expressed surprise, and protested against such high-handed proceedings. But we were powerless to resist, for the commissioner was supreme in his authority, and there was no appeal, except through the government at Melbourne.
We resolved, however, to defeat his machinations, and I lost no time in visiting the agent of the stage company, stating that we wished to dispose of our horses, and had the satisfaction of receiving the money for them that evening.
The agent desired that the horses should remain in our possession until morning, but he agreed to assume all the responsibility, and even smiled when I ventured to hint that perhaps the commissioner would visit us at an early hour.
"Give me a bill of sale, signed by your firm," the agent said, "and I will risk all attempts at confiscation."
I did as he requested, and got two or three respectable men to witness my signature, and the delivery of the money, and then I went back to the store and chuckled at the thought of the disappointed commissioner next morning.
We did not retire very early, but sat up with closed doors and darkened windows, and read our papers and talked until long past midnight. Our business affairs were prosperous--we were free from debts of any kind--we had ready money enough on hand to take advantage of the markets, and buy low and sell dear--and to crown all, we had many thousand dollars lying idle in the Melbourne bank, which we could resort to in case of necessity. Our position was good, but a few losses by bad management would have made us as pecuniarily poor as when we reached the country, therefore the little trouble which we had with the commissioner gave us considerable annoyance, for in various ways he could injure us.
We went to bed that night with considerable anxiety on our minds, but with a firm determination that if we were imposed upon we would resist, and even carry our grievances before the governor, if we could obtain redress in no other way. We were anxious for daylight, yet dreaded the disagreeable results which it would bring forth.
No sooner had the sun shown its hot face than we heard a commotion in front of the store, but we remained seated at our table leisurely eating breakfast, and pretending that we cared but little for the excitement in the street. Presently a police officer put his head in at the door and shouted out,--
"I say, you!"
"Well, what say you?" asked Fred, without moving.
"The commissioner wants to speak to you instantly."
"Well, tell him to come in," I responded.
"He can't; he's 'ossback."
"And we are at breakfast," Fred cried.
"He's in a hurry."
"So are we."
"Will you come?"
"Certainly; after we have finished eating our breakfast."
The fellow uttered an oath, and withdrew his head to report to his superior officer. In a few minutes afterwards we heard the heavy steps of men approaching us, and looking up we saw the dark face of the commissioner, and the bull-dog countenance of Colonel Kellum, who had command of the military in Ballarat.
"Good morning, gentlemen," Fred said, rising, and placing chairs for our visitors.
A brief nod was the only sign of recognition that was returned, but the chairs were not accepted.
"To what are we indebted for this early visit?" Fred asked.
"We have come, sir, for--"
The commissioner had proceeded thus far, when he seemed confused, and stopped. He may have felt that he was about to commit an unjustifiable outrage, and wished the colonel to share half of the responsibility.
"The fact is, sir," the military man exclaimed, most pompously, "we want your horses in the name of the government."
"Our horses, did you say?" Fred asked, with a sweet smile.
"That's what I said, sir," the colonel replied, swelling with bad blood and dignity.
"I think, that you are mistaken, sir, as we are not the owners of any such kind of animals," Fred answered.
"Why, what do you call them, sir?" the colonel cried, triumphantly, pointing to the unconscious brutes, who were eating their provender in the stable which we had built just adjoining the store.
"Those are horses, certainly, sir, but they don't belong to us."
His face was a picture when he replied, it was so gentle, and appeared so bland and courteous, as though he would not offend for the world. _