that happened later on. Ugh! let's climb out right now."

So they built a nice cooking fire, and started to get breakfast. It
was while they discussed the morning meal with the eagerness that
boys' healthy appetites alone can display, that Billy asked a leading
question.

"I forgot to ask if anybody heard a ghost laugh in the night?" he
demanded. "Once I happened to wake up, and imagined I could hear
somebody laughing away off in the distance; but say, I only pulled
my head further under my blanket, and went to sleep again just like
an innocent little babe. How about that, Hugh, Alec, and the rest?
Was there anything doing?"

This was the time for Alec to tell about the little adventure Hugh
had met with. Billy's eyes grew round with wonder and awe as the
story proceeded, and seeing this, Alec did his best to keep up the
interest at fever heat to the point where Hugh burst into the haunted
turret chamber, and made the discovery that it was tenanted by a family
of owls, and some bats.

"Gee whiz!" ejaculated Billy, heaving a great sigh of relief, "I
honestly began to believe you meant to tell us that turret-tower room
was the place where the tragedy happened, and that Hugh had watched
it all being repeated over again. Owls, hey? Well, they're an innocent
lot when you get acquainted with 'em. All the same, let me tell you
I'm glad we expect to sleep outdoors to-night."

"When we get through breakfast, boys," suggested Arthur, greatly
interested in what he had just heard, "let's all go up and be
introduced to Hugh's pets, if they haven't vamoosed the ranch. I
always did like to watch owls stare at you with their big yellow eyes;
but you want to keep away, for they've got wicked beaks, and can take
a piece of skin off your hand as easy as anything."

Accordingly this programme was carried out. The visit to the turret
chamber was not as productive of results as some of the boys might
have wished, for most of the owls and bats went scurrying forth through
the slits in the wall as soon as the door was opened, despite the
garish light of day which they were supposed to dislike. Still, enough
were seen to satisfy Billy the story had been no "fake."

Alec said he was disappointed because he could not take a picture of
the whole outfit; though not necessarily for the benefit of his rich
aunt.

"But the sun seems just about right for the several exposures I want
to make of the southeastern side of the castle,"