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He fell upon a covered track
while treking through the scrub
had no hurry to get back,
his mates again had left for the pub.

Off the main track it couldn't be seen
bracken and branch covered where it had been
curious conspiricies bounce through his mind,
at the end of the track what would he find?

Followed the tracks
in powdered white dust
guided by moon light
opal his lust,

siluetted white cones
that fill in old holes
loom in the darkness
like following trolls.
Watching his steps
he follows the track
cloud covers the moon
all turned pitch black,
now standing still
not game to move
brand new track,
without a groove.
Through the darkness
he sees a light,
straight ahead
just off to the right.

Forging ahead as cloud leaves the moon,
does Eldorado await or a murderous goon.
What was he thinking?
Why is he here?
With danger all 'round
he's now showing fear.
Up from the ground
rose a dull light,
muffled sounds meant
they were working at night!
Laid on his belly
he looked down the hole
listened to jibber
like a spy or a mole.
Excited giggles
ooos and ahhhs,
talk of one rock
that'll buy ten cars.

Plotting and scheming
to staking the claim
thinks of the fortune
that alone he will gain.
The hole is illegal
they won't have a leg,
once in his name
they'll have to beg.
"If they want to dig more," he thinks,
"They'll have to pay me!"

At last he grins,
'Opals for free..'

Clangs on the ladder,
they were climbing top side,
so he sprung to his feet
to run and hide,
but to find a squat to hide behind
in the dark of night,
is hard to find.

Things seldom are free they come at a cost
he knew claim jumpers are quite often lost.

As is the way when urgency calls
panic sets in as common sense stalls.

Pounding heart
sets beat for the race,
in full flight expecting a chase.
Where is the track ?
Where is the moon ?
Got to be quick
they'll be up top soon.



Out'a the hole climbed one, two and three
then slapping of backs and hugging to see
They covered the hole and brushed round the rim
Just as the moonlight was becoming dim
A bottle of scotch shared between three
with a spring in their steps
one makes a decree,
Don't forget Johnno,
but we won't tell him yet
we'll peg out the claim
now our apatites' whet.
He'll love the surprise
He's treated us well
showed us how to survive
in this hot scrubby hell.!

Leave enough grog to rub on ourselves, says number two
Make sure we smell like we've had quite a few.
With that the three tramped back to camp
Crawled into beds and turned off the lamp..



At full speed he ran from the hole
With leap 'n bounds of spritely foal
the adrenaline rush worked faster than eyes
deceiving him with optical lies.
Shadows lost as the moon went down
so he reckoned for the ridge headed for town.
Thoughts of greed to cut out his crew
blinded the danger of the scrub that he knew,
each step he took was Russian Rulette
not with a bullet but a hole as the bet..

As if in a script that punishes bad
a merciless end to a devious lad,
a hole half full'a water
a nocturnal surprise.
Praying up to the last star seen by his eyes.

The three went to town to register the claim
proud to make Johnno's the fourth written name
Returning to camp to break the good news
with a dream of the four on a wild ocean cruise.

Johnno was gone...last seen going scrub,
raised drinks all'round at the miners pub;

Here's to Johnno..
A man you could trust
salt of the earth
who'd share his last crust

Once in his lifetime, he erred his good ways
but karma struck swiftly and shortened his days

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