Abe's face?" asked Nat as they once more felt that it was
safe to exchange remarks.

"Almost went white," replied Ned. "None is so frightened at ghosts as a
darky."

"Ghost!" repeated Tom. "Do you mean to say there really is a ghost up
there in that old rat-trap?"

"Something," replied Nat. "We have heard that same scream before, and it
does not sound like anything human."

"Why in thunder didn't we go up and swat it?" asked Tom, quite disgusted
that such an opportunity should have been missed.

"Because Roland has a dinner date, and because we were trespassing. You
don't suppose we just want to walk into trouble like that, do you?"
inquired Nat.

"Well, I'd take chances when it came to bagging a real live ghost. I hope
we get another shot at it."

"There's the carriage," exclaimed Joe. "Just look at old Abe!"

"Scared stiff!" added Nat. "Well, I don't blame him. He was dangerously
near that scream. Perhaps his passenger is a ventriloquist and threw her
scream. The voice certainly came from the castle."

The carriage passed the Fire Bird at that moment. Ned had slackened speed
after his first spurt.

"That woman doesn't look as if she could throw anything--not even her
voice," remarked Roland, when the carriage had passed. "But I fancy the
old colored fellow is about ready to 'throw a fit,' at any rate."

"Wait till Abe tells it," said Joe, laughing. Abe had a reputation for
"telling things."

"It certainly is queer," mused Ned. "I'm not exactly a ghost fiend, but
there must be something uncanny up there in that old castle."

"Tavia says there are real magazine ghosts," spoke up Roger decidedly.

"What particular variety is that?" asked Tom.

"Oh, Tavia declares that in magazines scientific fellows are materializing
the immaterial," said Nat quite learnedly. "That is what we call magazine
ghosts."

"But that howl was never immaterial," persisted Tom. "I should say it
emanated from a well developed thorax."

The Fire Bird was spinning along at a lively rate now, for as night neared
it grew colder, and the party were anxious to get within doors.

"I hope the girls like the greenstuffs," remarked Roland as the home road
was reached.

"Let us out here," said Tom as Ned prepared to run into The Elms. "We can
get our blood in circulation before we reach the fire. Whew! it is cold!
Well, say, we've had an awfully jolly time, fellows. Hope we can make it
up to you--"

"Don't mention it," interrupted Ne