d Paul, greatly enthused. "In the first place it will
be lots of fun. No one seems to know anything about this secret place of
hiding or what may possibly be hidden there but us. Do they now?"

"N-no." This from Worth, who was evidently much impressed. "We may be
fooled, but who shall say that Coster wasn't acting on the square? I saw
Paul going out of his way to make Coster a mite more comfortable,
especially after he was caught with the goods on him, so to speak. Bad
as he is, he may have had some notion of doing Paul the only good turn
he alone could do, by putting him wise to this thing. Anyhow, it's fun
and fun is one thing we're after."

"Well, then," remarked Phil, "shall we put it to a vote?"

"Yep--let's vot'er now, right off the bat." So added Jones, by now
fairly in his trousers and reaching for his footgear. "I vote yes--yes,
siree!"

"So do I," said Billy, glancing quizzically at Dave. "Me for treasure
hunting! Gee! Wouldn't I like to feel my shovel scrape something hard,
and see my hand pull out a wad of bank notes all caked with woods dirt?"

"What do you say, Mac?" Phil was looking at MacLester, who colored
slightly.

"I--I'll vote last. You say what you'll do, Phil."

"Oh, well, if you want my decision, I'll say yes." Phil here grinned
openly at Paul. "I'm fond of our youngest comrade and I want to please
him whether we find anything or not."

All looked at Dave, who at first looked foolish, but straightway an open
smile wreathed his ruddy Scotch face as he said:

"I'm with you, Phil! Paul sometimes acts the fool, but he means well all
the same. Here's for the treasure! If we don't get it, maybe we'll have
some fun out of it after all."

CHAPTER XI

PASSING THE LOAD OF HAY

Later that morning the Big Six was spinning over the road eastward from
the small village where the preceding debate had occurred. Before
starting Phil had asked their host if he knew of an old inn some miles
ahead that had formerly been prosperous during the old stage-coaching
days, before the advent of the railroads. The tavern keeper scratched
his head as he reflected. Finally he said:

"Can't think of nary place onless it's what they used to call the Ghost
Tavern, but--law me! That place must 'a' rotted down before now."

Phil intimated that this might be what he was after, asking how far the
inn with the foreboding name might be.

"Might be thirty mile or it might be fifty or more, I can't say. You
mig