We were not more than two minutes in reaching the end of the bridge, and then we again paused to reconnoitre.  Nothing to alarm us was to be seen, and we again ventured forward, this time with more confidence than we had felt since we had started.

“Your ghost has fled,” I said, in a half whisper.

At that instant, as though to disprove my words, we heard a sharp, quick blow, that sounded like an iron shovel struck upon stones.  We uttered no word, or made the least noise, but we turned our looks upon the largest portion of the island with wonderful quickness, and, as though of one mind, we attempted to reach the bridge by a precipitate flight.  Our intentions, however, were balked by our own eagerness, for just as I was about striking out my legs got mixed up with my companion’s, and down we both went, full length, upon the ground.  We scrambled to gain our feet, and I think that I arose first; but I had not 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.