He fairly tumbled out of bed and caught up his clothing in a heap. Then,
wrapped in some comfortables, he burst out of the room and ran down the
hallway like a person possessed of the evil spirits.

"Come be quick, or we'll get caught!" whispered Joe, and ran into the
room, followed by the bell boy. In a trice they pulled loose the strings
that held the skulls and the skeleton, and restored the things to the
doctor's room from which they had been taken. Then they went below by a
back stairs.

The whole hotel was in an alarm, and soon Mr. Mallison came upon the
scene.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, severely, of Wilberforce
Chaster.

"The meaning is, sir, that your hotel is haunted," was the answer, which
startled all who heard it.



CHAPTER XII.


THE PARTICULARS OF A SWINDLE.


"This hotel haunted?" gasped the proprietor. "Sir, you are mistaken.
Such a thing is impossible."