t recovered myself before I
was seized by Mr. Brown in his frantic attempts to arise, and once more
fell, and this time directly upon him, and over we rolled together until
we were brought up by a large rock, which prevented us from going any
farther.

"I think that we are two of the biggest fools in Australia," Mr. Brown
said, sitting up and listening attentively.

I readily agreed with him, and determined to be no longer frightened by
sight or sound. With this idea, and after a mutual vow to stand by each
other, we crept along upon our hands and knees until we could command a
view of the spot where we had dug for the treasure. While we were
considering whether we should go forward or remain on the watch, the
huge form which had so frightened us slowly arose, as though from a
grave of its own digging, and, to our horror, we could see the white
bones and long horns pointing towards us, while an unearthly groan
relieved the monotony of the appearance.

With a trembling hand I drew my revolver, and, in defiance of Mr.
Brown's whispered remonstrance, I took as good aim as I was capable of
taking under the circumstances, and fired.

I heard a crashing of dry bones, and I saw the hideous head fall to the
ground; at the same moment a gruff voice shouted, in angry tones,--

"What in the bloody h----l is you 'bout, hey?"

CHAPTER LXIX.

CAPTURE OF THE GHOST.

At the sound of the voice, and more especially the hearty English oath,
Mr. Brown sprang to his feet, drew his knife, and rushed towards the
late supposed spiritual visitant.

All thoughts of fear were banished in an instant, as soon as we
discovered that we had flesh and blood to deal with instead of
grave-clothes and pithless bones.

"Surrender or die!" was the exclamation of Mr. Brown, as we neared the
object of our late fears.

"Die be d----d! what do you mean?" was the question asked by the
interesting individual who attempted to scrabble from the hole which he
had been digging, but did not succeed before the ex-inspector was upon
him.

"Stand back, or I'll let daylight into you," shouted the fellow, drawing
a long knife, and acting upon the defensive, and the way he handled the
reaper showed that he was in earnest.

We both hesitated for a moment, for the purpose of better addressing the
person who was so peremptory in his threats, but first I took the
precaution of possessing myself of a long smooth-bore gun which was
lying near him, and wh