CREATING A PANIC
When Hugh gave utterance to this really startling announcement, he
naturally lowered, his voice. The others came crowding up, and stared
at the tell-tale mark. As their scout education had long since passed
far beyond the novice range they had no difficulty in seeing that Hugh
had stated the truth.
"A whopping big foot made that mark," whispered Billy.
"And see there," added Alec, hastily, also in a low tone, "here's
a second one not so big. Two fellows crossed this hole in the wall,
and only a short time ago, because the mud is as fresh as it can be."
That caused the scouts to exchange significant looks.
"Anyhow," Billy was heard to whisper to himself, "whoever made those
footprints was a live human being, and no spook, that's sure."
The thought evidently did much to relieve his mind, Hugh realized. Alec
meanwhile was shaking his head as though not only puzzled but annoyed.
"What do you make of it, Hugh?" he asked, like most of the fellows
turning to the scout master when there was a difficult problem to be
solved.
"Oh! there might be several explanations," replied the other with a
reassuring smile. "First of all, these fellows may be a couple of
curious countrymen wanting to take a look around while the sun is
still up, being afraid to come here after night sets in."
"Yes, go on, Hugh; what next?"
"Then it might be they are men who have heard about the deserted castle,
and wonder if they could pick up anything worth carrying off if they
forced an entrance. But there's still another answer to your question,
Alec."
"I can guess what you mean, Hugh. My aunt, it may be, isn't the only
person with money to burn who's taken a notion to buy Randall's Folly.
Is that what you've got on the tip of your tongue, Hugh?"
"Just what I meant to say," he was told. "But no matter, if we find
there's a rival in the field, perhaps we might scare him off in some
way. That wouldn't be such a hard thing to do, when you've got a
haunted house to work with."
"Oh! with my trick of throwing my voice, Hugh," spoke up Monkey
Stallings, "I bet you I could play the ghost racket to beat the band.
Just give me a try-out and see what I can do, Hugh."
"Well, first of all," remarked the scout master, "we had better climb
over the break in the wall here, and find the trail of these two unknown
men. After all it may turn out they are simple country jakes wanting
to take a peep at the mansion they've heard so many queer stories
about."
Accordingly the five scouts hastened to clamber across the gap, a feat
requiring little dexterity; though clumsy Billy had to catch his toe
among the stones, and come near pitching headlong down, were it not
for Hugh quickly throwing out his ready arm.
It required little effort to find the tracks beyond the mass of fallen
stones; a mere tyro of a scout could have succeeded in following such
a plain trail, and at that hardly half test his ability along that line.
Bending partly over, the boys kept diligently at work pursuing the
zigzag line of footprints. Evidently the men had picked out the easiest
way to advance. They must have either known where they were going, or
else followed a former path that was not overgrown, and partly
concealed with rank vegetation.
"Look! there's a glimpse of the castle!" whispered Alec, suddenly.
Through the openings in the copse beyond they could see the gray walls
rising up ahead. It was an impressive spectacle. The westering sun
shone on the tower that had been made to look like some old-time type
English masonry, famous in history, with its portcullis, drawbridge,
and surrounding watery ditch known as a "moat."
After silently inspecting the side of the old building thus presented
to their gaze for a minute or so, the boys began to show their former
restlessness.
"The trail keeps right on, Hugh!" whispered Alec, which was as much as
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!
but they are a tough looking pair, I tell you."
Alec looked, and sniffed disdainfully.
"Here's where we're up against it good and hard, fellows," he remarked,
softly. "The question is, do we want to stand for that couple of
greasy hoboes keeping us company while we camp out here in the deserted
castle? Everybody say his mind, and majority rules, you know."
"Excuse me, if you please," muttered Arthur, with a shudder. "I'd
sooner sleep in a pigpen than alongside such human animals as those
unclean hoboes."
"Why," remarked Billy, aghast at the thought, "they might rob us of
our blankets; or worse, of our precious grub, which would be what I'd
call a calamity without equal."
"We've just got to bounce them, that's plain," said Monkey Stallings.
"Hugh, you remember what you the same as promised me?"
"Oh! if you think you can start something that will rid us of the
pair," the scout master told him, "go to it right away. If you want
us to help, say the word, Monkey."
Already the other was feverishly attacking his pack, which he had
tossed upon the ground. He soon found what he was looking for, to
judge from the satisfied exclamation that passed his lips.
"Tell us what you've got there, Monkey," urged Alec.
"Yes, that's do," added Billy, anxiously, "because we want to be on
our guard. If it throws a scare into those tramps it might work just
as bad with some other fellows I know, unless they were warned
beforehand. Show your hand, Monkey, please."
"Oh! shucks! it's only a sort of wild-goose call I tried to make
from directions I read in a little book," confessed the ingenious
one. "It don't seem to imitate a wild honker much, but say, I c'n
make the most _unearthly_ sounds come out of this hollow bone you
ever listened to. Why, it nigh about freezes my own blood when I
try the call in the pitch dark. Now watch and see what happens."
"Be careful, Monkey," warned Hugh, as the other prepared to creep
away. "Don't let them glimpse you at any time, or there may be serious
trouble. They look like an ugly couple of customers. I suppose you
mean to try and get around on the other side of them?"
"Sure thing," replied the originator of the scheme, "and if I were
you, Hugh, I'd make out to hide your bunch, because, believe me, that
pair will come whooping along this way like mad pretty soon."
"Which is what we'll do right away, Monkey, never fear," Hugh told
him.
Accordingly the four scouts disposed themselves in such fashion that
while they would be hidden from view they could at the same time watch
whatever took place, and enjoy the fun, if, by good luck, the scheme
arranged for the entertainment of the bold hoboes, turned out successful.
The two ragged wanderers were sitting on the stones bordering the
ditch or "moat" that surrounded the make-believe ancient castle.
They evidently debated as to the advisability of forcing an entrance
to the wonderful mansion, and taking up temporary or permanent quarters
there. Perhaps the idea of spending the coming winter under so
magnificent a roof, with frequent excursions around the countryside
in search of necessary supplies, engrossed their attention.
Some little time passed away. The four boys began to show signs of
impatience, believing that Monkey Stallings must surely by now have
gained the place he had in mind when he left them.
"There, I saw him wave his hand to us from that slit in the stone wall
of the tower!" hissed Alec, presently. "He's managed to find a way to
get inside after all, and now the fun's going to begin."
"It's time, too," added Arthur, "because the hoboes have made up their
minds to try and break into the house. See, that big chump has picked
up a heavy rock, and he acts as if he meant to hurl the same against
those stout oaken doors."
Indeed, that was just what happened. The collision, however, only
resulted in a loud bang, for it would take many hundreds of like blows
to do those stout doors any serious damage. The smaller tramp shook
his head dubiously.
"Now they are talking it over again," whispered Alec. "The short one
is pointing as if he believes they can find a much easier way to get
inside than trying to smash the door down. Hey! Monkey, better get
busy or you'll find the pair treading close on your heels."
Hardly had Alec spoken that last low word than a thrilling sound came
floating to the ears of the four listening scouts. None of them could
ever describe what it was like; indeed, it seemed to possess a character
all its own, and somehow caused the "goose-flesh" to creep over their
bodies, even though they knew the origin of the uncanny cry.
The two tramps had jumped back at the first outburst. They seemed to
be staring wildly toward the "donjon tower," as Alec persisted in
calling the round structure at one end of the imitation castle.
Louder and louder grew the racket. Billy laid a trembling hand on
Hugh's arm as though seeking comfort from personal contact with the
scout master.
Presently the pair of hoboes appeared to have reached the limit of
their endurance. One snatched the dead fowl that had possibly been
stolen from some farmyard on their way up from the railroad; while
the other hastily gathered the rest of their primitive possessions
in his trembling hands.
Then, as another fearful burst of strange cries broke forth from the
haunted castle, the two men started wildly on the run. Faster and
faster grew their pace as Monkey blew more furiously on his home-made
"goose-call" with telling effect. As they passed the spot where Hugh
and the other three scouts were lying in concealment, the alarmed
pair could be heard giving vent to excited remarks, and some strong
language as well, though neither of them seemed to possess the nerve
to turn his head and look back so as to find out if they were being
pursued.
So they went out of sight along the crooked trail they had made in
approaching the deserted mansion; though for several minutes afterwards
the sound of frequent collisions with trees, and stumbles over hidden
vines proclaimed that their panic showed no signs of abating.