His salary was 900 pounds per
annum. The next inspector received the same salary. He was brother
or brother-in-law to a bishop, and had many ancestors and relatives
of high degree. Philip foolishly showed him a few nuggets which he
had picked up in Picaninny Gully, and the inspector showed Philip the
letter by which he had obtained his appointment and 900 pounds a
year. It was only a couple of lines written and signed by a certain
lord in London, but it was equivalent to an order for a billet on the
government of Victoria. Then the inspector said he would feel
extremely obliged to Philip if he would give him one of his little
nuggets that he might send it to my lord as a present, and Philip at
once handed over his biggest nugget. Little amenities of this kind
make life so pleasant. My lord would be pleased to receive the
nugget, the inspector was pleased to send it, and Philip said "it
cannot be bribery and corruption, but this inspector being a
gentleman will be friendly. When he mentions me and my school in his
report he cannot possibly forget the nugget."
Barney, the boozer, one day visited the school. He opened the door
and stood on the threshold. His eyes seemed close together, and
there was a long red scar on his bare neck, where he had on a former
occasion cut his throat. All the scholars were afraid of Barney, and
the girls climbed up on the benches and began to scream.
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