saying that he could see no reason for further delay.

"Listen!" cautioned Arthur.

"Oh! what did you think you heard?" asked Billy, with a gasp.

"It must have been voices somewhere ahead of us," came the answer. "The
men are talking it over, most likely."

"Debating whether they've got the nerve to go a step further and enter
the haunted castle," chuckled Alec. "Let's move on, and get a squint
at the bold trespassers, Hugh."

Accordingly once more the whole party started to move ahead, foot by
foot. All the woodcraft they had managed to pick up in previous
exploits was brought into play as they crept along softly.

"Stop!" Hugh gave the low order, finally.

"I see them, Hugh," announced Alec, eagerly.

"Show me where," begged Billy, pushing himself forward.

A few seconds later Arthur was heard to say disdainfully:

"Why, it looks to me as if they might be only a pair of Weary Willies,
who had wandered up here from tramping the railroad ties. They must
have heard about a fine house lying idle here, and have come to camp
out for a spell. You can see they've got a chicken dangling by the
neck, and some old tomato cans they mean to make coffee in. Whew!