Part 14 (2/2)

”Hullo, sonny! Can you tell me----”

The boy gave one look and then, dropping his can of bait, and his pole, fled with a howl of dismay.

”Hi! Stop, can't you? What's the matter with you?” shouted Jack. He ran after the boy at top speed. But the faster he ran the faster the youngster sped along the road.

”Oh-h-h-h-h! Help! Mum-muh!” he yelled, as he ran, in terrified tones.

At length Jack gave up the chase. He leaned against a fence and gave way to his indignation.

”Bother it all,” he said. ”What can be the matter with these people?

Everyone I speak to runs away from me, as if I had the plague or something. Anyhow, that youngster can't be very far down this road. I guess I'll keep right on after him, and then I'm bound to come to some place where there are some sensible folks.”

As he a.s.sumed, it was not long before he came in sight of a neat little farm-house, standing back from the road in a grove of fine trees. He made his way toward it. In the front yard an old man was tr.i.m.m.i.n.g rose-bushes.

”Can you tell me----” began Jack.

The old man looked up. Then uttering an appalling screech, he ran for his life into the house. ”Mandy! Mandy! Thar be a ghostess in the yard!”

he yelled, as he ran.

Jack looked after him blankly. What could be the matter?

CHAPTER XVII.

ONE MYSTERY SOLVED.

”Well, I'll be jiggered!” exclaimed Jack. ”What _can_ be the matter? It beats me. I----”

”Hey you, git out of thar. I don't know what of critter ye be, but you scared my old man nigh ter death. Scat now, er I'll shoot!”

Jack looked up toward an upper window of the farm-house, from which the voice, a high-pitched, feminine one, had proceeded. An old lady, with a determined face, stood framed in the embrasure. In her hands, and pointed straight at the mystified Jack, she held an ancient but murderous looking blunderbuss.

”It's loaded with slugs an' screws, an' bra.s.s tacks,” pleasantly observed the old lady. ”Jerus.h.i.+ah!” this to someone within the room, ”stop that whimperin'. I'm goin' ter send it on its way, ghost or no ghost.”

”But, madam----” stammered Jack.

”Don't madam me,” was the angry reply. ”Git now, and git quick!”

”This is like a bad dream,” murmured Jack, but there was no choice for him but to turn and go; ”maybe it is a dream. If it is I wish I could wake up.”

He turned into the hot, dusty road once more. He felt faint and hungry.

His mouth was dry, and he suffered from thirst, too. Before long he found a chance to slake this latter. A cool, clear stream, spanned by a rustic bridge, appeared as he trudged round a bend in the road.

”Ah, that looks good to me,” thought Jack, and he hurried down the bank as fast as he could.

He bent over the stream at a place where an eddy made an almost still pool, as clear as crystal. But no sooner did his face approach the water than he gave a violent start. A hideous black countenance gazed up at him. Then, suddenly, Jack broke into a roar of laughter.

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