"His wife is the highest of high-brows, and they are averse to interviews. They moved to a small city sometime ago to be secluded. Just think of my opportunity! I have them headlined! 'The Haunted House of Hope Haven. Ghost that appears at midnight scientifically explained by the distinguished Dr. Felix Polydore.'" "I think we are in luck," I said to Silvia, on second thoughts. "We will take them home by the nape of the neck and deliver their children into their keeping to have and to hold." "I can't turn Diogenes over to them," she said plaintively. "Diogenes!" repeated Miss Frayne in astonishment. I then narrated to her the history of our next-door neighbors, and how they planted their five children upon us. "We had better go down at once and see them," said Silvia, "before they escape. No telling where they might take it in their heads to go." "We will," I said, "we'll go soon after luncheon." "Thrice blessed haunted house," quoted Rob. "It gave me Beth, and it has restored the parents of the wise Ptolemy and 'Them Three.'" "And gave me a ripping story," said Miss Frayne. Just then the gong sounded, and after luncheon while I was comfortably tipped back in a chair, my feet on the veranda rail, seeing in the smoke from my pipe dream visions of Polydoreless days, a faint cry from Silvia brought me back to earth. "Lucien, look!" I looked. My chair came down to all fours and my feet slipped from the rail. CHAPTER XVI _Ptolemy's Tale_ Four defiant, determined-looking Polydores came up the steps and bore down upon us. Then Silvia as usual thought she saw land ahead. "Oh, boys," she asked hopefully, "did your father send for you to meet him here? And when is he going to take you home?" "Didn't I tell you," I thundered at Ptolemy, "that you were not to leave that house--" "It left us," interrupted Emerald with a grin. "Went up in smoke," added Pythagoras blithely, "ghost and all." "Four minutes quicker," said Demetrius, "and it would have took father and mother, too." "Oh, is it the haunted house they are talking about?" asked Miss Frayne joyfully. "What a story I'll have!" Life to Miss Frayne seemed to be one story after another. Well, it was certainly becoming the same way to us. "Did the ghost set fire to the house?" asked Beth. "What are you all talking about," demanded Silvia, "and how did you know these boys were there? How long have you been here?" she asked, turning to Ptolemy. "I told you," I repeated angrily to the subdued boy, "not to leave. Those were plain orders. If the house did burn up, you could have stayed in your tent in the woods." Ptolemy's lips twitched faintly. "The house burned up and all our clothes and our stuff to eat, and our bats and things, and father and mother went away and I didn't know what to do, so--I came here. But we'll go back to our own house. We have learned to cook. Come on, boys."