come. I expect that old toothache of mine would have cropped up and
kept me home."

"The walking is good down to the station, Billy," murmured Alec, "and
we were told that a freight-train would come along around dark this
evening, bound south, which was due to stop at the water-tank"

"That'll be enough for you, Alec," continued the fat boy, with a certain
amount of dignity. "You never knew me to show the white feather, and
back down, once I put my shoulder to the wheel. If the rest can stand
it I ought to be able to do so."

"Good for you, Billy," cried Hugh. "Alec here ought to make you an
apology. But since we've rested up, and there's still half a mile
to tramp, with the afternoon wearing on, suppose we make a fresh start."

Soon they were trailing along the dimly seen road, which evidently
was not used to any great extent by the few scattered farmers in that
vicinity. Most of the talk was in connection with the weird mansion
toward which they were heading. Alec was coaxed to relate a number
of other facts he had managed to pick up regarding its romantic history.

"Look out for signs of a high wall on the left, boys," he finally
told them. "It may be almost hidden by vines and scrub trees by now,
I was warned. It surrounds the whole place, though here and there
it may be broken down. Few people after dark want to pass this place
except in a hurry, and although it's only a mile and a half from the
railroad, I don't believe tramps ever think of coming here. You see,
most of them know the stories told about Randall's Folly, and they
steer clear of the place."