els of fence past the little Elm, then right across on the other
side of the road is the big stone. Well, on the side next the north
fence you'll find the ring pebble. The coord is lying kind o' cross
the big white stone, so you'll find it easy; and here, take this
chalk; if your grit gives out, you mark on the fence how far you did
get, but don't you worry about that groaning--it's nothing but a
yarn--don't be scairt."

"I am afraid I am scared, but still I'll go."

"That's right," said the Trapper with emphasis. "Bravery ain't so much
not being scairt as going ahead when you are scairt, showing that you
kin boss your fears."

So they talked till they struck out of the gloom of the trees to the
comparative light of the open field.

"It's just fifteen minutes to midnight," said Caleb, looking at his
watch with the light of a match, "You'll make it easy. I'll wait
here."

Then Yan went on alone.

It was a somber night, but he felt his way along the field fence to
the line fence and climbed that into the road that was visible as a
less intense darkness on the black darkness of the grass. Yan walked
on up the middle cautiously. His heart beat violently and his hands
were cold. It was a still night, and once or twice little mousey
sounds in the fence corner made him start, but he pushed on. Suddenly
in the blackness to the right of the road he heard a loud "whisk,"
then he caught sight of a white thing that chilled his blood. It was
the shape of a man wrapped in white, but lacked a head, just as the
story had it. Yan stood frozen to the ground. Then his intellect came
to the rescue of his trembling body. "What nonsense! It must be a
white stone." But no, it moved. Yan had a big stick in his hand. He
shouted: "Sh, sh, sh!" Again the "corpse" moved. Yan groped on the
road for some stones and sent one straight at the "white thing." He
heard a "whooff" and a rush. The "white thing" sprang up and ran past
him with a clatter that told him he had been scared by Granny de
Neuville's white-faced cow. At first the reaction made him weak at the
knees, but that gave way to a better feeling. If a harmless old Cow
could lie out there all night, why should he fear? He went on more
quietly till he neared the rise in the road. He should soon see the
little Elm. He kept to the left of the highway and peered into the
gloom, going more slowly. He was not so near as he had supposed, and
the tension of the early part of the expedition wa