ver this most
uncanny fowl. And a moment later, she was relieved to see the
egg-hunters turn around and Monty emerge from that "heathen temple," the
cracker box held tightly in his hand. He carried it as if it were heavy
and his face was almost as solemn as the Chinaman's. The box contained
eleven eggs!

Wun Sing gave one glance and fled, and trying to take the box into his
own hands, Leslie dropped it--with the natural result.

"Well, they may be bewitched eggs but they can break 'allee samee!' I'm
sorry, Wun Sing, but I'll pay for them! And say, did anybody ever hear
of such a thing before?" asked Leslie, astonished.

Nobody had; and seeing Dr. Jones crossing the grounds at a little
distance they ran to him with the marvellous tale. He listened
attentively and even walked back with them to see the hen for himself.
His decision put bewitchment out of the question.

"The bird is a freak of nature. I have read of such before, but they are
rare. Either that--or--are you quite sure that no practical joke has
been played by any of the boys--or by yourselves?"

His keen study of their faces revealed nothing mischievous on any. They
were all as honestly surprised as himself, and he then made a close
inspection of the little place. The pagoda stood exactly in the centre
of the yard, so far from the wire-netting on every side that no arm
would be long enough to reach it and drop eggs into the nest at the
back. Wun Sing always kept the key of the Chinese padlock on the wire
gate and entrance through it without his consent could not be made.

"It doesn't look like a hoax, and it's not to be wondered at that the
Chinaman was scared. We all are--at the unusual and unexplainable. But
this is simple. It is a freak of nature and the hen will probably die
soon, of exhaustion."

The Doctor walked away and Molly made a funny little face behind his
back.

"I call that real mean, to take the mystery out of it in that way! I've
been getting delightfully goose-fleshy and creepy, just to find the
spook is nothing but a silly old hen that's outdone herself. I hate to
be disappointed like that. I wish something would happen, real
hair-raising, as Indians, or bears, or even a few catamounts!"

"If they did, I'd like to be on the spot. I bet you, Molly Breckenridge,
you'd run faster than anybody if those things did happen," teased Monty.

Saying that, he exchanged an odd glance with Leslie, who nodded and
said:

"Come along, boys, l