The Kangaroo Marines
 "It's a gey queer place," said Sandy, with a tremor in his voice. 

 "It is, and there's sure to be ghosts in this ould world?" muttered Mick, crossing himself. 

 "There's diamonds, too—and tons of gold," remarked Claud. 

 "Paddy, you'll be a rich man after to-night," laughed Sambo. 

 "If I'm not a dead wan," said the Irishman, who, for the moment had become seized with a dread of the supernatural. 

 "Well, boys, here we are!" exclaimed the leader of the party as they neared a dark bend of the road.  "Jump out!"  The car was backed out of sight, and the driver told to wait. 

 "This way," and into the darkness plunged the Queenslander. They followed close at his heels, stumbling over graves, stones and old enclosures. 

 "What's that?" screamed Paddy, as he kicked a white-looking thing at his feet. 

 "It's a skull, man," said Sandy, picking up the bleached headpiece of an ancient. 

 "Mother of Jasus, preserve us," murmured the Irishman, crossing himself again. 

 "Now, boys, here we are. Get out your tools and start digging. Here's a little torch to use, now and again, to see what you've got. You fellows can pan out this show here, I'm going over a bit to do some prospecting." 

 "Right you are, I'll run this bit of the business," said Claud, as the Queenslander went off into the darkness. For a long time they picked and shovelled out the soft brown earth. 

 "What's this?" whispered Sandy, holding something in his hand. Claud switched the light on. 

 "It's a shin bone." 

 "Here's the goods," shouted Bill, holding up a bracelet crusted with earth and mildew. 

 "It's gold, too," said Claud, fingering it. 

 "And here's some quids," Paddy said, spreading some coins out in his hand. 


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