Page:Australian Emigrant 1854.djvu/74

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56
THE AUSTRALIAN EMIGRANT.

soon, and I don't think more than two places are taken in the back sleeping apartment."

"What is a shake-down?" said Hugh.

"A shake-down—why bless me, you are innocent!" said the waiter.—"New chums, I spose:" and placing his hand familiarly on Hugh's shoulder, he led him into a room about eight feet square. The floor was spread from one end to the other with blankets." There, my lad," said the condescending waiter, "that's a shake-down, and an uncommon comfortable kind of a thing too—when you are tired, mind—when you are tired."

Slinger and Weevel had now entered.—"What!" exclaimed the latter, "are five men to sleep there?" pointing to the ground.

"And why not?" said the waiter—"it is comfortable coiling, I can tell you—you musn't be proud here."

"But I will pay for a separate bed," said Weevel, producing a sovereign.

"You can't have it for money—that's a fact," said the waiter; and hearing more gold chinking in Weevel's pocket, he said, "I'll show one-pound notes agin your sovereigns with you any day." Mr. Weevel with dignity declined. "Money is plenty here," continued the waiter;—" a man is nobody if he can't do this;" and he put his hand in his pocket and produced a handful of notes as if they had been so much waste paper.

"I shouldn't wonder," whispered Slinger, "if they are all flash.—Let me see them again, Mr. Waiter, will you?"

The waiter

"Said nothing to indicate a doubt,
But put his thumb upon his nose, and spread his fingers out,"

and left the room.

"That is a specimen I suppose," said Hugh, "of a colonial