middle of the floor, trembling like one with the ague.

"Ha, ha!" laughed Ted. "Ghost, eh? It was me calling to the cattle, and
sending them back from the line."

"Yah, aber I seen mit mine own eyes der green ones oof der ghost up in
dot corner, und heart him on der roof."

"Come outside, and I'll show you the footprints of the ghost," said Ted,
leading the way.

Out in the snow by the side of the cabin Ted showed them several tracks,
something like a small hand, which ended at the wall of the cabin.

"That's where the ghost went up," said Ted. "Let's climb the wall, and
see what is on the roof."

It was easy climbing up the log wall, for there were plenty of
footholds.

When they were high enough to look over the edge of the roof, Bud gave
an exclamation of surprise, and then burst out laughing, in which Ted
joined.

But Carl could not see the joke.

"It's a vild cat," he shouted, scrambling to the ground.

"It ain't, neither," asseverated Bud. "It's a bully little ole pet coon.
That's what it is."

He held out his hand, and the coon, making a queer little chuckling
noise, came slowly toward him as he held out his finger, which the
sharp-eyed little beast clasped in its fingerlike paw and pulled.

Bud reached out, tucked it under his arm, and climbed down with it.

"This yere coon was a pet ter ther fellers what rid line yere before,"
said Bud, when they were in the cabin again. "He's been hangin' eround
ever since, an' when he saw us he thought it wuz his ole pardners come
back. He's been taught ter swipe hats an' drop 'em down inter ther house
through ther chimbley hole. That accounts fer it, an' I reckon he's ther
whole ghost."

"Yah, mebbe I dinks so," said Carl, who looked rather sheepish at his
exhibition of fear.

"He's a smart little piece," said Ted. "By the way, Carl, get busy with
the pots and pans. I'm going to stay to supper and sleep here to-night.
I've got the cattle and the boys planted, and it is too far to go on to
the ranch house to-night. Stella and Kit went back an hour ago."

Carl went to work to cook supper, while Bud played with the coon, which
was as full of tricks as a monkey, and kept the boys laughing all the
time.

"A coon is a mighty smart animile," said Bud as they sat down to supper.

"So I've heard," said Ted. "But I've never seen many of them."

"Dere is no such beast in Chermany," Carl put in proudly.

"That's so," said Bud. "Ameriky is the land o' ther free