“Haw! haw! haw!” laughed Ephraim. “I was jest tellin’ him I’d eat the gol darn ghost if he’d ketch it.” “Yaw!” chuckled Hans; “und I toldt him I peen retty to pet zwi tollars der ghost vould ketch it. He don’d know vot I mean py dot, un don’d you toldt him nottings.” Frank hastened to get the two boys apart, and remained with Hans till the latter was ready to go to bed. “You don’d pelief dere peen any ghost, did you, Vrankie?” asked the Dutch lad, sleepily. “Of course not,” assured Frank. “That’s a guy yarn St. Ives gave you. There’s nothing in it.” “Vale, I peen so sleeby I can’d kept meinseluf avake no longer. Good-nighd, poys. I vas goin’ to ped.” Then Hans waddled off to his room. It was not far from midnight when the boys arose and prepared for the fun. Kenneth St. Ives was on hand. He had provided some ice for Ephraim. “When we all get behind the curtain that hangs before the alcove,” said Kenneth, “you come into the room, Gallup, stalk up to the bed and run this piece of ice around over the Dutchman’s face. If that don’t frighten him out of his wits, I’ve made a big mistake.” “It’s a yell thot’ll wake ivrybody fer a moile he’ll be afther givin’ whin he fales th’ oice an’ sees Ephraim in the whoite shate,” chuckled Barney. In pajamas and nightclothes, the boys tiptoed up to the door of Hans’ room, opened it softly, and listened. Hans was snoring. One by one, the young jokers slipped into the room and concealed themselves behind the curtain. The moon was up, and a broad strip of light came in by the window and made the room light enough for them to watch what was to take place. With a sharp knife, which went the rounds, each boy cut a slit in the curtain so he could peer out. When everything was ready for the appearance of the “ghost,” they were startled to hear Hans muttering: “I know how to feex you. Vater—goot coldt vater; Oh, uf I don’d gif you a path, you vos a liar!” “He is sleeping in his talk—I mean, talking in his sleep,” whispered Rattleton. “He is thinking of the way he will fix the ghost. Oh, my! what a joke!” Then he clasped a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing aloud to think what fun they would have. “Ven you peen all retty you said so,” muttered Hans, apparently continuing to talk in his sleep. “Wal,” said the “ghost,” speaking aloud, to the astonishment of the boys behind the curtain, “I ruther guess ev’rything’s all ready. Let her rip!” Then the curtain behind which the jokers crouched was suddenly snatched away. At the same instant, Hans sat up in bed, and turned the stopcock of the hose. Swish—spat! A powerful stream of chilling water shot through the air directly toward that alcove. If struck the astounded boys, drenching them in a moment and knocking some of them over. The others piled upon the fallen ones, and all shouted with astonishment and disgust.