ly both boys tried to secure a mental photograph of all
there was below them.

"It's only a log!" cried Lil Artha, in a relieved tone of voice, and at
the same time betraying more or less disappointment, for perhaps he had
made up his mind that they were to be treated to some species of horror.

"You're right," added Elmer, "that's what it is--an old log that has
lain there, goodness only knows how long. Nat doesn't seem to have
slipped down into the cellar, then, does he?"

"Not that you could notice," replied Lil Artha, and then he added: "but
Elmer, didn't you notice something jump when that paper first went
down?"

"Well, yes, I did, for a fact, Arthur."

"Any idea what it could be?" persisted the other.

"I hope you're not thinking of that ghost we've heard so much about?"
said Elmer.

"Now, that's hardly fair, Elmer; you know I don't take any stock in
fairy tales or hobgoblin yarns. But something sure moved."

"A big rat I guess, perhaps a muskrat from the pond above. They
sometimes find a burrow leads them to some old, unused cellar."

"But look over there, and you'll see a lot of white bones, Elmer,"
pursued Lil Artha.

"That's a fact. Some animal must have fallen in here, starved to death,
and been eaten up by the rats."

"But, Elmer, are you sure they are animal bones?"

"I noticed the skull, and I think it must have been a large dog,"
replied Elmer.

Then he and the tall scout scrambled hastily to their feet, for Chatz
had suddenly given utterance to an exclamation that seemed to contain
much of both surprise and mystification.

CHAPTER V.

THE TRAIL GROWS WARMER.

"Say, just look up there, fellows!"

Chatz pointed a quivering finger upward as he gave utterance to these
words.

Of course both Elmer and the lengthy scout followed his directions, and
turned an inquiring gaze toward the dimly seen rafters of the old
deserted mill.

"Gee whittaker! what in the dickens are they?" exclaimed Lil Artha, as
his startled eyes rested on what seemed to be countless numbers of queer
little bunches of dusky gray or brown hair.

They looked for all the world like some farmer's wife's winter
collection of herbs, tied up in small packages, and fastened in regular
order along the different beams.

"Well, I declare," laughed Elmer.

"You know what they are, Elmer; let us in on it, won't you?" demanded
Chatz.

"Nothing whatever to do with the ghost, but all the same often found in
haunted