ll that sleep
with him was entirely out of the question so long as that chilling
whimpering and rustling continued at regular intervals.

Now Hugh was only a boy, it must be remembered, and many a strong
man would have declined committing himself in the way the scout master
intended doing.

He had listened to all the talk about ghosts carried on by the other
fellows, with more or less interest and amusement, for Hugh refused
to believe in spook manifestations. At the same time he admitted that
his heart was fluttering at a much more rapid gait than customary
when he started toward one of the doors of the room, using the little
electric torch to light his way.

If any one could have read the thoughts that were surging through
the boy's excited mind, they would perhaps have been found to range
about in this manner:

"Ghosts, eh? Well, I've always said there never existed any, and
perhaps I'll have a chance right now to prove it, one way or the other.
A queer kind of a hobgoblin that must be to keep whimpering like a
baby, and then fluttering to beat the band. But what in the wide
world can it all mean? That's what I reckon on finding out, given
half a chance."

He had reached the door by that time. Billy had seen to it that the
bolt was shot into its socket before he lay down. More than that,
he had even gone to the trouble to fill the keyhole full of crumpled
paper, remembering that jibe on the part of one of his chums to the
effect that spirits can "ooze like smoke" through even such small
apertures.

Hugh had been wise enough to pick up a handy club before starting
forth upon his mission of investigation. He did not anticipate finding
a chance to make use of it, but when a man insures his house against
fire he really does not expect it to be burned down. Hugh wanted
to be on the safe side, that was all.

Just at that point the boy, was influenced to turn around and cast
the light of his torch upon the forms of his four comrades swathed
in their coverings. Not one of them moved, even in the slightest
degree, so that, if Hugh was half contemplating inviting company, he
found no encouragement there.

Gritting his teeth, the boy calmly drew back the bolt, softly opened
the massive door, slipped boldly through the aperture, and then as
deftly closed the door behind him.

Standing there in the great hall he listened intently, meanwhile keeping
his light turning this way and that in order to see if anyth