9 “Keep looking!” the leader ordered, aware of the danger. “We can’t stop now!” The three men feverishly searched the ground with their fingertips. “The skull, the skull! We must find it!” they all thought, in a panic. “I’ve got it!” one of them at last cried in triumph as his fingers touched a smooth, curved, cold object. He reverently pulled out the skull and placed it on the cloth. A sense of relief flooded the three men. But now they had to hurry. The moonlight was growing brighter, and if they were caught, it would be a disaster. The leader tightly rolled up the bones in the cloth so they would be easier to carry. He worked quickly but with profound respect for the precious items. Meanwhile, the other two refilled the hole with dirt. Then the men separated, each one going his own way to avoid attracting attention. As they went, each of them pitched his shovel into the bushes. “We’ll meet up again back there,” said the leader.
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