our head, Billy, we're going
to be bothered by anything except rats. That's the only kind of spooks
you'll find in such a place as this. And after we've had our supper
I hope you'll all accompany me while I take some views of the interior,
because several of the rooms are going to make dandy pictures."

So supper was cooked after their customary camp style, only in this
instance, while the scouts had a roof overhead, and stout stone walls
surrounding them, they missed the whispering of the treetops, as well
as the star-studded sky.

Afterwards they gladly helped the aspiring photographer while he made
good use of his flashlight apparatus. Alec chose certain apartments
in which he fancied his wealthy and eccentric aunt would be most
interested. He also declared himself satisfied in the end that he had
succeeded in getting some views that ought to turn out "gilt-edged."

The mansion was unfurnished, so that they had no chance of finding
sleeping quarters or beds of any kind above. Whoever now owned the
place had removed all such articles long since, possibly to prevent
tramps from finding an inducement to lodge in the deserted and lonely,
castle.

However, this was nothing serious to fellows who had camped many a
time among the rocks, where they were even debarred from having hemlock
browse for a soft mattress.

"We'll try the floor to-night, boys," said Hugh, as he started to
spread his blanket out in regulation style. "If it proves to be too
hard for us, perhaps we can put in the second night outdoors somewhere.
That will depend on the weather, for we have no tent to keep the rain
or snow off, you remember."

The others hastened to copy his example, for they were all fairly
sleepy. Billy told himself that he would very likely lie awake all
nightlong, because he felt sure something strange was _bound_ to happen
to them. He was shrewd enough to arrange his blanket bed directly
in the middle, so that he had a pair of chums on either side of him.
If the others noticed this sign of weakness they kindly overlooked
it. Perhaps, to tell the truth about it, Monkey Stallings and Arthur
Cameron were themselves not entirely free from uneasiness, and deep
down in their hearts wished the night well over with.

Hugh happened to awaken some time afterwards, and as the flames lazily
lighted up the big room occasionally, he lay there watching them play
upon the wall. So he allowed himself to figure what strange scenes