Pythagoras uttered high-trebled, thin-toned whines and ever and anon Emerald added a _basso profundo_ accompaniment, making a combination that was most trying to the ears at close range. "I don't know," said Rob, "as I want Beth subjected to such a realistic performance. We will loiter in the distance." "Your rehearsal," I assured Ptolemy, "is very good, but you must remember that Miss Frayne is used to encountering things far more terrible than ghosts. She may insist on coming right in here to investigate. Of course, if she does, I can't refuse or she'll think I am afraid, or else that I put up a fake ghost here, myself." "We'll lock the door with a chair," suggested Emerald. "She'll be quite capable of breaking into a little house like this, but I'll keep her back until you have time to haul in your ghost and make a quick and quiet getaway by a back window. Then another thing, she'll be over here tomorrow morning to take some pictures of the house, so by sunrise I want you all to take up your abode in the tent you have in the woods and stay there until I come and tell you the coast is clear." "We're dead on," assured Ptolemy. "I'm glad there's going to be something doing. We're getting tired of being here alone. I had to tie Demetrius up this morning. He was bound to go over to the hotel and see mudder." "Don't one of you dare to make such an attempt," I said peremptorily. "You keep right on here for a few days. Some of us, either Rob, or Beth and I will drop over every day. If you play your ghost just as I tell you and keep out of sight, I'll bring you over some ice cream tomorrow." "Bring me a bigger bat." "Bring me a mitt." "Bring me a boat," came in chorus from Ptolemy, Emerald, and Demetrius. "What'll you give me to stay here?" asked Pythagoras, who was a born bargain-driver. "I'll give you a licking if you don't stay," was the only offer he gleaned from me. "Be good boys," adjured the softhearted Rob, "and I'll bring you everything I can find at the hotel." It was long past the luncheon hour when we returned. We found Miss Frayne wondering at Rob's sudden disappearance and Beth was accordingly mystified. I planted myself directly in front of Miss Frayne. "May I take you to the haunted house tonight at the yawning churchyard hour?" I asked. "I am most eminently fitted to be your guide, for I was the first one of this assembly to see the ghost _in toto_." "He saw it over a stone fence," remarked Rob. "Indeed you may, thank you very much," she said enthusiastically. Silvia's face was a study. "And will you come with me, Beth?" asked Rob. "Of course, the ghost is an old story to us, but we really should hover in Lucien's wake out of regard to the conventions." "Is Miss Frayne interested in ghosts?" asked Beth. Miss Frayne turned and answered the question. "Not personally," she admitted frankly, "but the newspaper I am on is, and they sent me up here to get a story." "Oh, you are a reporter?" "Yes; on the _Times_."