did. Then he fell and I guess he must have hurt his ankle because he

swore fearfully. He picked me up again and started off but he limped a good deal, and—and pretty soon he threw me down and, without saying a word, started off alone. That’s all I know. But, tell me, how did you find me?”

“I—I guess God must have led us to you,” Bob said slowly. “I don’t know how else we picked up the trail.”

“He must have. I knew that you’d try and I asked Him to show you the way.”

“I guess we’ve been quiet all for nothing,” Jack said aloud.

“Maybe. But it’s better to be careful than sorry, you know,” Bob told him.

“How far are we from the cabin?” Helen asked.

“Pretty hard to say,” Bob replied, “But it must be all of five miles, maybe more.”

“Where’s father?”

“He and Jacques went the other way,” Jack told her. “You see, we had no way of knowing which way you had gone so we divided forces.”

“Can you find the way back?”

“I’m not so sure about that,” Bob answered.

“Then—then you think we’re lost?”

“Don’t you fret about that,” Jack hastened to reassure her. “We can find the way all right as soon as it gets light.” He meant that he might not be able to do it in the dark.

“Oh.” It was evident that she was much relieved.

“It’ll be light in about three hours,” Bob told them. “Now, had we better camp here or try to find it in the dark?”

“I’m lost,” Jack confessed. “Haven’t the least idea which way home is. How about you?”

“Well, it’s pretty hard to get much idea of direction when you can’t see your hand before your face, but I believe we can follow our trail back provided we can pick it up.”

“I didn’t think of that.”

“You and Helen wait here and I’ll look about a bit and see if I can find it,” and before either could say a word he was gone.

Bob was back in less than ten minutes with the cheering news that he had found the trail and that it was only a little way off.

“We’ll take it easy and be sure and not lose it,” he said as he took hold of Helen’s hand and led the way, Jack bringing up the rear clinging fast to her other hand.

“Here’s where we found your handkerchief,” Bob told her an hour later as he came to a halt and flashed his light on the stump.

“Yes, I managed to get it out and drop it without him knowing it in hopes you might find it.”

“It’s mighty lucky you did,” Bob said. “I’m afraid we would never have picked up your trail if you hadn’t. That fellow must be an artist in going through the woods without leaving a mark.”

“He did seem to be pretty careful. He had a flashlight and kept it on all the time until he saw yours. Then he snapped it off and I guess that’s why he fell.”

“It’s funny we didn’t see his light,” Jack said to Bob.

“It does seem rather strange,” he agreed.

They rested a few minutes longer and then started off again. They had little trouble in following the back trail as they had made no effort at concealment and signs of their passing were plenty.

Dawn was just breaking in the east as they reached the camp. Helen gave a loud call as they emerged from the woods and almost instantly her mother was flying down the path to meet her.

“My darling child,” she sobbed as she gathered the girl in her arms.

Helen quickly told the story and Mrs. Sleeper was most generous in her praise of the two boys.

“Where’s dad?” Helen asked as they reached the porch.

“He hasn’t come back yet.”

“Oh, that’s too bad,” Helen declared. “He must be worried half to death out there in the woods.”

“I suppose so,” her mother sighed. “But he’s got Jacques with him and they’ll probably be back before long. But I’ve had enough of ghosts at last,” she declared turning to Bob. “I never thought I could be so frightened.”

“What was it?” he asked eagerly.

“I’m sure I don’t know. It began about an hour after you left. First I heard a noise over toward your cabin and came out on the porch to see if I could see what it was. Your place was all lit up and, through the windows, I could see something all white moving about and every minute or two there would be a noise as though someone was pounding on a tin wash dish. Then off to the right, in the woods there, a bright light would flare up and then die down, and once I saw a white thing run, or rather float, along the path between your cabin and the dining-hall. It looked about ten feet tall but I don’t suppose it was. Anyway, when it got to the door, it seemed to pass right through it without bothering to open it. And then—”

“Yes?” Bob encouraged as she paused.

“Then after a few minutes it came out again and floated back to your cabin and the noises began again.”

“Poor mother. It’s a wonder you didn’t die of fright,” Helen declared.

“Well, I didn’t, but I was scared.”

“And no wonder,” Jack said.

“How long did it keep up?” Bob asked.

“It must have been all of three hours.”

“Was there anything else?”

“I—I don’t think so. After I saw the thing go back into your cabin I went inside and locked the door, but I could still hear the noise.”

“Just imagine it,” Helen sighed.

At that moment a loud whistle was heard and almost immediately Mr. Sleeper and Jacques emerged from the forest. The former came slowly toward the cabin dragging one foot after the other, his head bent on his chest as though he feared to meet his wife and tell her that they had failed. But his entire aspect changed as he heard Helen’s cry of welcome and assurance.

“Thank God!” he cried as he hugged her to his heart.

The story, of course, had to be told all over again and at it’s conclusion Jacques said:

“Me have breakfus een two tree minutes.”

The boys, saying that they would go and wash up, turned toward their cabin and the others went inside. It must be confessed that Bob threw open the door of the cabin with a distinct feeling of fear in his heart. Was the mid-night prowler concealed there ready to jump out at them? That was the question he had been asking himself for the past few minutes. But there was no sign of fear in his action as he pushed the door open and stepped inside. Though they had said nothing on the way over from the other cabin they both more than half expected to find the place in a condition of chaos. But everything was exactly as they had left it. Not a single sign of anyone having been there could they find although they made a most thorough search.

“All quiet along the Potomac,” Bob grinned as he straightened up after looking under his bed.

“Seems that way.”

“That ghost must have been a very orderly sort,” Bob remarked drily.

“Just what I was thinking,” Jack agreed.

For a moment they stood and looked at each other.

“Out with it,” Jack finally said.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that you are thinking that she was lying.”

“But why should she?” Bob asked not denying the accusation.

“Ask me something easy,” Jack retorted.

“Confound it, just as we make up our minds that they know nothing at all about it, something happens to throw suspicion on them.”

“My sentiments to a dot.”

“But that job tonight wasn’t a part of their game, that is, if they are mixed up in it.” Bob insisted. “They may be good actors for all I know but that wasn’t faked. Not one little bit.”

“Again I agree with you. But, tell me this: just what makes you think she was not telling the truth? It would be possible for someone to come in here and prance around without disturbing things, you know. There isn’t so much to get out of place.”

“It isn’t that so much,” Bob said slowly. “But just think, now. We find her all worked up over something she saw and heard in this cabin. She’s deeply grateful to us for finding Helen and yet, she lets us come over here and come in without a word. Now wouldn’t you have thought that she would have insisted on having Jacques and her husband come with us?”

“Of course I’d thought of that too, but perhaps in the excitement, she didn’t think of it.”

“Maybe that’s it but all the same I’m more inclined to think that they know something, than I’ve been at any time before.”

“It seems to be a mystery within a mystery all right,” Jack declared.

“Another thing that worries me is about those traps. How could a body get up to that window and hold up that thing as he did without stepping on that trap unless he knew it was there? Of course, it would be easy enough if he did know it but if he didn’t I can’t understand it.”

“And they and Jacques are the only ones except ourselves who do know about them.”

“Exactly.”

“But you mustn’t overlook the possibility that whoever it is that’s cutting up these didos might have been watching when we set them.”

“That’s true too, but I don’t believe it.”

“Neither do I, but it’s not impossible.”

“Well, there’s but one thing to do,” Bob declared after a long pause.

“What’s that?”

“Go and get Sicum.”

“Just the thing,” Jack cried slapping Bob on the back. “Why didn’t we think of it before?”

“I did, but to tell the truth, I kinder hated to give up beat.”

“Beat nothing. That’ll be simply bringing up reinforcements,” Jack laughed.

Before they could discuss the new plan further the breakfast horn sounded and they hastened to the dining-room. During the meal, Bob, much to Jack’s surprise, told the Sleepers of their intention to go for the dog, Sicum, which, he explained, belonged to their old Indian friend, Kernertok.

“Sicum’s a wonderful dog,” he told them.

“But what will you do with him here?” Mr. Sleeper asked.

“Track down that ghost,” Bob said. “He may not leave any tracks which we can follow, but I’ll bet Sicum can pick them up all right.”

“If he can’t nothing can,” Jack added.