"You are pretty brave lads to do that."

"Oh, we've been out camping before. We came out last summer and
also last winter."

"Up here?"

"No, to Lake Cameron and Firefly Lake."

"That's different from Lake Narsac. Don't you know this place is
haunted?" And Peter Peterson looked at the boys very solemnly.

"We've heard something about that, but we aren't afraid," said Shep.

"We are more afraid of snakes than we are of ghosts," added Whopper.
"We met a lot of them just before we reached the lake."

"To be sure you did,--- the river is full of them, and so is the
north side of the lake shore---anybody who has camped up here can
tell you that. But I don't mind the snakes---but I do mind ghosts."
And the old hermit shook his head in a manner to prove he meant what
he said. "I would stay up here to do some fishing and hunting only---"

"Only what?" asked Giant.

"I don't like the ghosts, or spirits, or whatever you may call them."

"Have you seen any ghosts?" asked Snap.

"Well, I've seen something, and heard it, too. I don't know what