It was stronger than this, and yet--you know what he did with them, only kept one small one for hanging, as he elegantly expressed it." "But I ain't talking of bushrangers," said Sam.

"I mean such fellows as the Americans in the War of Independence.

See what a dance they led our troops with their bushfighting." "I wonder if there will ever be a War of Independence here," said Alice.
"I know which side I should be on, if there was," said Sam.
"Which would that be ?" asked Jim.
"My dear friend," said Sam, testily, "how can you, an officer's son, ask me, an officer's son, such a question?
The King's (I beg pardon, the Queen's) side, of course." "And so would I," said Jim, "if it came to that, you know." "You would never have the honour of speaking to your sweet sister again, if you were not," said Alice.
"But I don't think those Americans were in the wrong; do you, Miss Brentwood ?" said Sam.
"Why no; I don't suppose that such a man as General Washington, for instance, would have had much to do with them if they had been." "However," said Sam, "we are talking of what will never occur here.

To begin with, we could never stand alone against a great naval power.
They would shut us up here to starve.

We have everything to lose, and nothing to gain by a separation.