a scurry of wings. Queer glowing balls of yellow
connected with obscure, shadowy figures stared at him. The wings
winnowed the air, and again he caught that peculiar whinny.

Hugh laughed aloud.

"Why, it's only a family of owls after all," he said, in great relief,
"that's taken up quarters here in this turret, where they can go in
and out as they please. Yes, and those things that flapped away must
have been some ugly bats in the bargain, that haven't gone into winter
quarters yet. Well, this is a pretty good sell, I must say. I'm
glad I made up my mind to find out what that noise was. Now I guess
I can go to sleep again. Ghosts! Well, like as not every ghost that
ever was heard of would turn out to be as simple a thing as this, if
only some one had the nerve to investigate."

He closed the door to the turret chamber. Let the owls and bats have
their quarters if they wanted to. There was plenty of room in that
great castle for himself and chums to sleep without ousting, the happy
family from their roost.

So Hugh started down the stairs feeling much lighter of heart than
when he had so recently climbed upward. The tension and strain had
been removed from his boyish heart, and he was ready to confess that
things had seemed pretty ticklish at one time, and had required all
his resolution to push ahead.

He found the right door, and softly opening it made his way into the
big room in which the others were sleeping. While fastening the door
again Hugh could hear the regular breathing of Billy, and possibly
of the others.

As he incidentally flashed his light on them before turning in he
was surprised to see Alec Sands sitting bolt upright and watching
him curiously. Hugh held up a warning finger. He did not want Alec
to talk out loud and needlessly awaken all of the other fellows.
At the same time he know full well he must give some sort of explanation
for his strange absence.

"I heard it, too, Hugh," whispered Alec, with a half grin. "Woke
up and found you gone when I put out my hand to feel your blanket.
Then I caught those awful ghoulish sounds somewhere. Wanted to creep
after you, but say, I own up I didn't have the nerve to try it. So
here I've been sitting, hugging my knees, and listening till I'm
shivering as if I had the ague. Now tell me what it is, Hugh, for I
just know you've found out."

Hugh chuckled and said:

"Oh! just a family that has squatted down on these premises, and ha