FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92  
93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   >>   >|  
sted Greg. "Bosh! Fred Ripley would have to be a real ghost before he could get over the deep snow in the woods," Dick retorted. Once more came the sound, more piercing than ever. Dick leaped from his bunk and began to dress. Dave and Greg followed suit. "We'll do our best to find out what it is, fellows," Dick promised them. Hen Dutcher was chattering and half sobbing. "If I--I ever g-g-get out of this alive," he chattered, "I'll never stick around y-y-y-you fellows again. I was a f-f-f-fool to let you fellows coax me into staying here." "Get out, then!" retorted Tom Reade half savagely, as he landed on the floor and began to dress. All were soon up except Hen, who, when a more dismal and bloodcurdling wail than ever came along, hid his head under one of the overcoats that covered him. "It's a wild cat--that's what it is," declared Greg Holmes. "Only one objection to that idea," returned Dick Prescott. "No one has ever heard of a wild cat in these parts in forty years." "Then it's some one out perishing in the cold," suggested Dave. "Whoever might be out in the cold wouldn't have much time to yell like that about it," argued Dick. "A wayfarer, out in the cold and deep snow to-night, would soon lie down and freeze to death." But now something happened that made the blood of all the listeners run cold. "Dea-ath sta-a-alks through the for-r-r-rest!" came the wailing chant. "That must be the Ripley gang," contended Dick. "But how can it be? How could they get through the deep snow that won't bear 'em?" Tom wanted to know. "Then what can it be?" "Mr. Fits," suggested Harry Hazelton. "But Fits isn't in the shack, or wasn't," Dave argued. "We haven't seen him around, outdoors or in the shack, since the night we ordered him to go there. If Mr. Fits got away from this neighborhood it was simply impossible for him to get back since then." "A-a-a-all who he-ear my voi-oi-oice shall die-ie within the hou-ou-our!" came the wail once more. "O-o-o-h! Please don't!" screamed Hen Dutcher, burrowing in under the massed overcoats. "Please spare me! I'll be a good fellow after this!" "Keep quiet!" ordered Tom, striding over to the bunk and giving Hen three or four vigorous prods. "If you don't we'll throw you outside!" "But it's just aw-aw-aw-awful!" chattered the terrified Hen. Truth to tell, none of the boys were feeling at his best, just then. Dick's glance passed the face of the clock, s
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92  
93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

fellows

 

chattered

 

suggested

 
Please
 
argued
 

ordered

 
Ripley
 

retorted

 

overcoats

 

Dutcher


outdoors
 

contended

 

wailing

 

Hazelton

 

wanted

 
neighborhood
 

massed

 

vigorous

 

striding

 
giving

terrified

 
glance
 

passed

 

feeling

 

impossible

 

burrowing

 

fellow

 
screamed
 

simply

 

staying


savagely

 

dismal

 

bloodcurdling

 

landed

 

piercing

 

leaped

 

chattering

 

sobbing

 

promised

 

wayfarer


freeze

 

listeners

 

happened

 

wouldn

 

objection

 

returned

 
Holmes
 

declared

 

covered

 

Prescott