nt into a drugstore that had not
changed substantially for half a century, except for the addition of
modern sales items. The druggist, a wisp of a man, was friendly. They
sat down at the marble-topped soda fountain and Rick asked, "Got any
Frostola cream pies?"

"Don't carry them," the druggist replied. "They're sold only by the
route man."

"I see you have a new man in this territory," Rick said casually.

Bright eyes inspected him through rimless glasses. "Fairly new. Seems
all right."

"He's pleasant enough," Rick assented. "Has he been on the job long?"

"Six weeks, more or less."

The boys settled for cokes, then drove back to the Millers. Rick was
pleased. They hadn't made much progress, but at least they had uncovered
an interesting character in the new Frostola man. His arrival, according
to the druggist, coincided with the appearances of the Blue Ghost. He
traveled to the mine area when no customers could be found there. He was
curious about a cement bag. He didn't fit the character of an ice-cream
route man.

Rick headed straight for the picnic ground. There was no sign of the
Frostola scooter, which meant the man had left right behind them,
otherwise they would have met him on the road on the return trip.

On a hunch, Rick got out of the car and walked to the trash can where
Scotty had put the cement bag. The bag was gone.

CHAPTER VIII

Plan of Attack

Rick awoke to the sound of wind, a sign that the storm traveling
northward from the middle south was approaching. He groaned. If the
storm arrived before nightfall, the annual Sons of the Dominion affair
would be postponed.

After yesterday's events he had decided to drop the idea of spreading
the word that he and Scotty were ghost watching, in the hope the ghost
would appear for just the two of them. His new plan wasn't completely
worked out, but it would be before long.

Scotty grinned at him from the other bed. "No night alarms last night.
Guess the ghost couldn't find anyone to play with."

"Maybe tonight," Rick replied. "Come on, sack hound. Rise and shine. We
have things to do."

Scotty glanced through the window at the sky. "We'd better do 'em quick,
then. Barring a shift in the weather system, we're due for some fine
squalls."

After an excellent breakfast of pancakes and genuine pepper-cured
Virginia ham, Rick borrowed an empty jar from Mrs. Miller, checked all
the flashlights available, and explained to the Millers the