Part 14 (1/2)

Just as Chatz had predicted the moon arose close on ten o'clock. It was no longer as round as a s.h.i.+eld, but had an end lopped off; still the flood of mellow light that came from the lantern in the sky was very acceptable to the scouts, and served to render their intended mission less objectionable.

Finally Elmer arose, and there was a start on the part of those who had been selected to accompany the leader and Chatz on their singular errand.

”I hope you'll let me carry the gun, Elmer?” Lil Artha remarked, coaxingly.

”Why should you?” replied the other, instantly; ”if it is a real ghost a bullet wouldn't hurt a bit; and if it should turn out to be some one playing a mad prank I don't think you'd feel easy in your mind if you were tempted to shoot him.”

”But it might be some tramp or hard case, and we'd want to subdue him; how about that, Elmer?” questioned Toby.

”Well, we can carry clubs if we like,” said Elmer; ”and I mean to have a piece of stout rope, so we can tie him up if we overpower him. Six scouts can put up a pretty hefty sort of fight, it strikes me, if things get to that point. No, leave the gun for the defenders of the camp and the grub.”

When presently the six boys stalked forth on their singular errand they did not seem to be in very merry spirits. True, Elmer was smiling as though he could give half a guess as to what they were about to run up against; and there was Chatz, a satisfied grin on his dark countenance; but the remainder of the investigating party could hardly have looked more solemn and melancholy if they had been about to attend the funeral of a dear departed friend.

”Good luck!” called out Ted, after them; while Landy waved his hand mockingly, and grinned happily as he remarked:

”We'll expect to see you fetch back at least one full-fledged ghost, boys; and take care he don't bite you. They're apt to do something along that order, I'm told, by people who've interviewed some of the species.

But you c'n tame 'em so they'll even eat out of your hand.”

”Just you wait, that's all,” was the sum total of what the departing scouts deigned to reply, as they vanished amidst the mixture of silvery moonbeams and darkening shadows.

Soon they glimpsed the house through the dense vegetation. It stood out boldly in the moonlight, grim and silent. There was not the half expected gleam of any inside illumination, only the dilapidated windows, the walls covered in many places by a rank growth of Virginia Creeper vine, the broken chimneys rearing themselves up above the ridge, and that square tower overtopping it all.

As they approached the walls of the house it might have been noticed that those of the scouts who had been lingering a little back of the rest somehow seemed to think they ought to close the gap, for they hurried their footsteps, and were soon in a cl.u.s.ter, with no laggards.

”I've thought to fetch my little handy electric torch along, Elmer,”

said Lil Artha about this time.

”It may come in useful,” was the reply Elmer made; ”but with all that moonlight going to waste I hardly think we'll need it. Still, you never can tell, and it's a mighty clever affair. You were wise to think of fetching it, Lil Artha.”

”Are we going to separate, Elmer; and if we do, will you let me place the rest of the boys, suh?” Chatz asked before they reached the yawning doorway of the deserted building.

”How about that, fellows?” the leader asked them; ”do you think we had better split up into several small parties or stand together?”

Toby, Lil Artha, Ty Collins and George heard this announcement with a new sense of consternation. In imagination they could easily picture how dreary and unpleasant it was going to be if each one had to take a post isolated from the rest, there to stand and listen, and perhaps _s.h.i.+ver_ as the time crept on, until he must become so nervous that he could give a yell.

”For my part, Elmer,” Lil Artha said, hastily, ”I think we had ought to stick in a bunch. One couldn't do much against a--er--ghost, you see; while the lot of us might be able to down anything going.”

”That's what I think too, Elmer,” piped up George, ”though of course, if you say so, I'm willing to do anything to carry on the game.”

”United we stand, divided we fall!” spouted Ty Collins, who, while a big bl.u.s.tering good-hearted fellow himself, did not exactly like the thought of being alone in that weather-beaten and half wrecked house, as the hour drew on toward midnight.

”I think we ought to stick together, Elmer,” Toby declared, which confession appeared to tickle Chatz, judging from the low snicker he gave utterance to; for, just as he had suspected, while none of these fellows would admit that they placed the least faith in things bordering on the supernatural, still they did not fancy finding themselves left alone in a house that had been given a bad name.

Elmer had been talking matters over with Chatz, so that they were agreed as to where the watchers should take up their positions. All talking except in whispers was frowned down upon from that time forward; and there is always something exciting about a situation when everybody is speaking in low tones.

They entered the house, and led by Chatz pa.s.sed up the rickety stairs.

This was evidence enough that their vigil was about to be undertaken in the upper story. George seemed to think that if he could manifest a disposition to joke a little it would be pretty good evidence that he at least was not afraid; and while as a rule he left this weakness to Toby and Lil Artha he could not resist the temptation to lean over and whisper to Ty, so that Chatz also might hear, something to the effect that it was just as well they were mounting those shaky stairs because people who believed in silly ghosts must be weak in the upper story.