Part 24 (2/2)

”For this type of ghost hunt,” said Florence, ”one needs an ax and two kettles of boiling water.”

”I'll provide the ax,” volunteered Mark.

”And we the boiling water,” chimed in Marian and Lucile in unison.

It was a strange little procession that stole from the shadow of the O Moo a short time later. Florence led the way. She was profoundly silent.

Lucile and Marian followed, each with a tea kettle of boiling water carefully poised at her side. Mark, as a sort of vanguard, brought up the rear with his ax. Now and then Mark let forth a low chuckle.

”s.h.!.+” Marian warned. ”You might disturb her serious poise.”

Straight away toward the end of the lagoon Florence led them. Once on the surface of the lagoon her course was scarcely less certain until she had reached a point in the center of the broad, glistening surface.

”Should be right about here,” she murmured.

Snapping on a flashlight she moved slowly backward and forward, studying the ice beneath the circle of intense light.

”Cold place for a ghost,” whispered Mark.

”Ten thousand people have skated over it and cut it down. Can't tell.

Maybe it's gone,” Florence said under her breath, but still she kept up the search.

”Water's getting cooled off in the kettles. Ghost won't mind it at all,”

whispered Mark.

Pausing on tiptoe for a moment, Florence fixed her eyes on a certain spot. Then, bending over, she brushed the ice clear of frost.

”There!” she announced. ”There! That's it.”

”Right here,” she pointed, motioning to Mark. ”Cut here. No--let me have the ax. You might go too deep.”

With measured and cautious swings she began hacking a circle in the ice some two and a half feet in circ.u.mference.

Mark's amus.e.m.e.nt had vanished. Curious as the others, he bent over and watched in awed silence. Eight inches of solid ice had been chipped up and thrown out when they began noticing its peculiar blueness.

”Like a frozen tub of blueing,” whispered Marian.

”s.h.!.+” warned Lucile.

”Now, let's have the water.”

Florence took one of the teakettles and poured the hot water into the hole she had cut.

As they stood there staring with all their eyes, they thought they made out the outline of something.

<script>