ck showed two minutes before
the hour of one in the morning these words came in a blast:

"The hou-ou-our of de-eath is at hand. The Gr-r-rim Rea-eaper is at the
doo-oor!"

"Then please, please, please--GO AWAY!" screamed Hen, his teeth clacking
a bone solo.

CHAPTER XV

DICK STRIKES A REAL FIND

Then half an hour passed, a quarter-gale of wind making the only sound
that came from outside.

"I think that must have been a sailor's ghost," remarked Prescott, at
last, "and he got his bearings wrong. He said, half an hour ago, that he
was coming in--but he didn't."

"How can you t-t-talk about g-g-g-ghosts like that?" shuddered Dutcher,
whose face was still invisible to the others.

"We might as well go to bed," proposed Dave, using one hand to cover an
imitation yawn that was intended to urge the others to courage.
"Whatever wild spirit was traveling around here has wandered off in some
other direction."

"Don't go to bed," pleaded Hen. "I won't have any one to talk to if all
you fellows go to sleep."

For answer Tom Reade climbed up into his bunk, though he kept his shirt
and trousers on.

"I'll tell you what," offered Dick. "We'll take turns staying up on
guard, just in case something real should happen. The fellow who stays
up will walk back and forth, to be sure of remaining awake. He'll also
see to it that the fire is kept up."

"Who'll take the first watch?" Harry wanted to know.

"Let Hen do it!" came, in the same breath, from Dave, Tom and Greg.

"I--I wouldn't be any good at that," pleaded Dutcher anxiously.

"No," smiled Dick dryly, "I don't believe you would. As I proposed the
guard stunt, I'll take the first dose of my own medicine. Later in the
night I'll call Dave, and when he's through he'll call Tom. All you
fellows pile back into bed and get some sleep."

"You take the air rifle, then," urged Dan, passing it over. As this
rather insignificant weapon might possibly be of some use, in the event
of more definite trouble, Dick accepted it.

One after another the fellows dropped off to sleep, all except Hen, who
lay very still, with heart thumping wildly.

Half an hour after Prescott's tour of guard duty began three wild wails,
wordless, smote the air, one after the other. Dave, Tom and Dan awoke.

"It's all right," Dick called to them, softly. "Nothing but noises.
Don't be afraid but I'll call you if its needed."

So those who had a chance, dozed off. Hen didn't have any chanc