to the car, and the pretty Christmas tree was left
behind with the other queer things in Tanglewood Park.

CHAPTER VIII

A MAGAZINE GHOST

That evening the boys had no end of fun teasing the girls. That Dorothy
and Tavia should have been so easily frightened, that Tavia should have
"turned turtle," as Ned put it, and that Dorothy "should have run under
fire," and left the coveted tree behind, seemed to the boys beyond
explanation.

Listening to their telling of the affair, Major Dale became interested,
and soon discovered that the old Mayberry Mansion, in Tanglewood Park, was
none other than the former home of a veteran of the war, who had been in
the same regiment with the major.

"I knew him well," volunteered Dorothy's father. "He was a fine fellow,
but always a little queer. Seems to me he had a sister or step-sister. Her
name was--Pumfret. Yes, that was it. I always thought it such a queer
name, and many a time saw it written by the captain on his letters home."

"And was he killed?" asked Tavia. "Do you suppose it is his ghost that
haunts the castle?"

This provoked a very gale of laughter, even little Roger considering it a
great joke that Tavia should take the matter so seriously.

"Indeed, he was not killed," replied the major. "He had done good service
and was made captain. Seems to me the last I heard of him he was traveling
abroad."

"Then it's Miss 'Plumpet's' ghost," declared Nat. "I'm sure, Uncle Frank,
you must have forgotten that name. More likely to be Plumpet than
Pumfret."

"Oh, no; I remember very well. It was Pumfret, and I used to think she
would have plenty to 'fret' about when Nick Mayberry went home, for he
could keep a whole regiment busy while in service."

"Then he has turned the castle into a barracks," declared Joe. "I'll wager
that solves the mystery. He has got a lot of old 'vets' walled up in
there, and they--"

"Go on parade every night about time for reveille. Now we have it. And I
propose we take a trip out there some evening at about the same hour," put
in Nat.

"Leave the girls at home," suggested Ned, with an arch glance at Dorothy.

"Indeed, I'm not the least bit afraid," declared his cousin. "I did hear
something like a scream, and I don't believe in ghosts. Therefore I should
very much like to have a chance to investigate the matter."

"Now, see here, children," put in Mrs. White, "I want you all to retire
early. There are so many little things to do