Telling the robbed man to follow him, so as to help
identification, he, without an instant's hesitation, descended the
ladder. A few of us followed, to support our gallant leader. "I want the
thief," he said; "he must restore the gold. You honest diggers are not
to lose your earnings in this way." So saying, he pressed forward into
the crowd, followed by his guide; and when at last the latter pointed
out the culprit, he seized his arm and dragged him back to the ladder's
foot, where he peremptorily ordered him to restore the stolen gold. All
this was done in less time than I have taken to tell it. The thief,
overwhelmed by the suddenness of the action, and still more, perhaps, by
the want of expected support from his "pals," promptly brought out the
gold; and thus ended a little drama highly illustrative of those
stirring times.
On my return I mentioned this circumstance to Wilson, and we both agreed
that Mackinnon was just the man we were all looking for at that critical
period for the headship of the colony's police. Wilson was in full power
as owner and editor of the rising "Argus", while I was senior member for
Melbourne; and between us we reckoned upon influencing the Government to
make at once this appointment, and in that view we went straight to
Captain Lonsdale, our Chief Secretary.
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