As the speed of the automobile was instantly decreased, Fred said
excitedly, "Stop, George! I say it is time for us to find out about this
thing and quit all our foolishness."
"What do you want to do?" demanded George.
"I want to go into that old house and find out just what all this
mystery means."
"I don't dare leave the car," said George.
"Then you stay here and look after it," retorted Fred. "Grant and I will
make our own inspections, won't we?" he added as he turned to his
companion.
Grant did not speak, but as he quickly leaped out of the car his example
was at once followed by Fred and together the two boys started toward
the house, the dim outline of which could be seen before them.
It was an ideal summer night. There was no moon, but as there were not
many clouds in the sky the two boys were able to see about them in every
direction. Crickets noisily were proclaiming their presence and the not
unmusical notes of the tree toads joined in a chorus that arose from
every side.
In silence the boys approached the front door of the house and just as
they were about to enter there came again that mocking sound of an
automobile horn.
In spite of his declaration of his courage Fred instantly gripped his
companion's arm. Neither of the boys spoke as they halted for a moment
on the stone door-step.
The startling noise of the horn was followed by sounds even more
unexpected. There were shouts and calls and cries issuing from within
the building. In the midst of this strange confusion there was also
heard the sound of laughter.
The combination at first appeared to be almost too strong for the nerves
of the two Go Ahead boys. For an instant they turned and were looking
back at the road where George was waiting for them in his automobile.
"Come on," said Fred, his voice trembling in spite of his courageous
attitude. "Come on in, Grant. We must find out about this thing."
Before Grant could reply, suddenly around the corner of the house two
men were seen. Both were running swiftly and apparently were unmindful
of the presence of the boys.
The two ghostly forms moved swiftly across the intervening field and
were apparently running directly toward the automobile in the road.
The sight was more than either Grant or Fred was able to endure. Without
another word both leaped from the stone steps and in their swiftest
paces ran down the old pathway eager to gain the shelter of the waiting
automobile.
"What's the trouble?" demanded George as his companions joined him.
"What's happened? Is there anything wrong?"
"Don't talk about it now," said Fred. "Put on all the speed you have got
and we'll tell you later what happened."
"I don't believe there's any such great need of haste," said George
dryly. "Why not go back and find out what the cause of all the trouble
is?"
"You may go if you want to," retorted Fred, "but I'm not going to try it
again to-night."
"The Go Ahead boys apparently are in motion, but not in the right
direction," suggested George demurely.
"The right direction," declared Fred, "is straight toward your house."
As he spoke he glanced again at the Meeker place and as he did so
discovered the two ghostly forms that were still moving across the
field.
"Both of them came out of the house," he said in a loud whisper, "while
we were on the front door-step."
"Oh, I guess not," said George tantalizingly. "It's probably two men
that took a short cut. They were coming from the other road."
"Don't you believe it!" maintained Fred stoutly. "They came out of that
old Meeker House. Didn't they, Grant?" he added, turning to his friend
for confirmation.
"Yes, they came out of the house," said Grant brusquely. It was plain
the boy was not enjoying the recollection of the swift flight which he
and Fred had made to rejoin George.
"Get your car under motion," said Fred sharply. "We don't want to stay
here any longer. We'll tell you what happened when you get out on the
main road."
"Just as you say," laughed George.
A moment later the automobile was moving swiftly down the road. As it
came near the place where the two forms had been seen it was evident
that both were seeking to gain the road in advance of the automobile.
"Maybe the spooks will try to get this car, too," suggested George in a
low voice.
At that moment there came a hail from the two men in advance and at the
sound George laughed loudly.
"Do you know who that is?" he demanded, turning to his companions.
"Who is it?" inquired Fred.
"Why it's John and Uncle Sim. They want to ride home. I guess I'll
pretend not to know who they are and put on a little more speed."
As he spoke the car began to move more swiftly, a sight which at once
called forth louder shouts of protest from the two men who now were near
the fence along the roadside.
"Let them in. Let them in," said Grant.
"All right, just as you say," replied George, and as he spoke he brought
the automobile to a standstill.
"What do you want?" he called to the two men who now were climbing the
fence.
"We want you to take us home," replied one of the two.
"Is that you, John?"
"It certainly is."
"Well, I couldn't tell," laughed George. "You look more like a string
than ever. Is that Uncle Sim with you?"
"Yas, suh. Yas, suh," spoke up the negro promptly.
"Then you have been over to the old Meeker House, have you?" inquired
George as John and the colored man took their seats in the car.
"Yes, we have been there," abruptly replied John.
"You didn't seem to stay very long," suggested George. "Were there any
special reasons why you didn't want to tarry any longer?"
"Dere sho' was," spoke up Uncle Sim, his teeth chattering as he spoke.
"Yas, suh. Yas, suh, dere sho' was." Lifting his face toward the sky the
old colored man muttered some incantations or prayers which in a measure
indicated the terror which possessed him. He was trembling in every limb
and when he tried to speak his lower jaw, over which he apparently had
lost control, resounded as it repeatedly struck the teeth on his upper
jaw.
"Never mind, Uncle Sim," said George, noticing the abject terror of the
old man. "We'll soon be out of this. I don't see why you went back there
when you're so afraid of the old place."
"Yas, suh. Yas, suh," stammered Uncle Sim. "I don' went jes' because dis
young man 'sist on my goin' wif him."
"Was he afraid to go alone?"
"Yas, suh. Yas, suh."
"Did he think he would be less scared if there were two than he would be
if he was there alone?" laughed George.
"That's all right, George," broke in John, "you don't know what you're
talking about. If you had heard what we did you would have made better
time than either of us when we were trying to head you off."
"What did you hear?"
"Why, we heard the same old sound and a lot more. Just as true as I am
sitting here there was a voice that sounded all through the house and it
was calling, 'John, John'."
"Did you answer it?"
"Did I answer it? No, sir, I didn't answer it. I was out of that house
before you could count ten."
"I didn't know that it affected you that way," laughed George, "to have
anybody speak to you."
"It doesn't to have any live body, but that name was sounded all through
the house. It wasn't loud either, it was just that whispered, 'John,
John,' that I don't think I shall ever forget as long as I live."
"It seems to have affected Uncle Sim even worse than it did you,"
suggested George, as Uncle Sim clasped his hands and lifted them far
above his head and offered various incantations, as if he were doing his
utmost to ward off the evil spirits.
"Well, all I have got to say," explained George at last, "is that the Go
Ahead boys ought to change their name."
"Why?" demanded Fred sharply.
"Because it seems to me that they can leave any place and make better
time than anybody I have ever seen. Even Uncle Sim forgets his
rheumatism and 'mis'ry' and keeps up with John when he races across the
field. To-morrow morning I will give John one dollar if he will make as
good time from the old Meeker House out to the road as he made to-night
when it was dark."
"Never you mind about that!" retorted John. "You didn't see all that I
saw."
"But you haven't told us what you saw."
"I told you something I heard. If you had heard your own name coming
down the chimney and through the windows and up from the cellar, out of
the attic, in the hallway, down the stairs and everywhere at the same
time you wouldn't have stayed there any longer either."
"Perhaps I wouldn't," admitted George, "but my feeling is that you
didn't hear half as much as you thought you did."
"No, sir," responded John. "I have told you only half what I did hear."
"Well go ahead with your story."
"I'm not going to talk until we get home."