which had certainly been real enough. But it was all right. The man
counted right up to a hundred, and once or twice, to Fred's huge
amusement, when he stammered, and lost track of his numbers, he went
back and counted several of them over again! But he finished at last,
and Fred heard him come stumbling down the gully. He seemed to hesitate
then.

"May I really go now?" he asked. "I did not know there was a spirit
here, or I would not have come."

"Yes. Go, and quickly!" said Fred, throwing his voice out so it came
from far above the soldier.

He heard the soldier running then, and in a moment closed the door
behind him, and began retracing his steps along the secret tunnel.

"Gee! That was a close call!" he said to himself. "Serves me good and
right, too, for doing more than I was told! I might have spoiled
everything by not waiting until I knew more about the place. If that
soldier hadn't been ready to see a ghost in anything he didn't have some
reason to expect to meet, I'd be in a lot of trouble now. And yet I'll
bet he's brave enough, too. If he had an enemy he could see and touch,
he'd fight all right."

But Fred had more to think about now than what had happened, or what
might have happened, either. He was more interested in what was to come
next. He went along, flashing his torch. There was no sound at the thin
wall, where he stopped, when he reached it, to listen for the sound of
voices in the great hall. That encouraged him. He decided that if any
soldiers had been left on guard in the place, they would have been in