“Ahemm,” began I. “I have come, attended by my bodyguard, or faithful followers, to find out whether or not we may have the pleasure of your company at dinner to-day, we——” “Oh shut up,” said Pee-wee. “Gee, you haven’t any brains at all. _I’ll_ tell them. We want to take you boys around and show you the woods and the lake, an’ I know where there’s a peachy bird’s nest; I’ll show it to you,” said the good-natured little fellow. “Pee-wee’s right,” said I. “I’m sure we’d love to come, but some of the fellows are gone to the post office, so that leaves just a few of us left,” said one of the boys. “But _we’d_, be delighted to come,” someone said. It happened that this fellow came from Maine. That made him a special friend of Hervey and me, because he’s a Maniac. “All right, let’s go,” said I. And we did go. “This is the place where we trailed that convict, isn’t it?” asked Westy. “Wait till you see my little nest,” said Pee-wee. “Your which?” asked the Maniac. “Shh, we’re near it now,” said Pee-wee. “Boys, hold your breath, don’t breathe or talk, we are now about to enter the land of mystery,” said I. “There it is, in that bush that comes down low like. Don’t touch it though,” said Pee-wee. “We wouldn’t harm a hair on its little head,” said the Maniac. “That’s nothing,” said I. “Let me show you where the daisies grow. _Then_ you’ll see something nice.” “Are you going to take us to the land of nod?” the Maniac asked. “Oh, you’re going to do more than nod,” I promised. “Wait ’til you get there! Just _wait_.” “Let’s go up the hill,” suggested Westy. “By the old haunted farm house?” asked Warde. “Nothing doing,” said the Maniac. “I’m scared of such places. If you promise to take me by the hand and shield me from all danger, I might think it over. Otherwise, I’ll go home and finish my knitting!” “We promise,” said Westy. Now I’ll tell you all about this haunted farm, so that you won’t be frightened. In the first place, it’s not haunted at all. That is _I_ don’t think so, but the people that lived there _did_ think so, ’cause they moved out and left the farm just as it was. (When I get married I’m coming up here and start farming, there’s enough tools and things.) “Gee, you can have lots of fun here,” said Pee-wee. “I like the apple trees and the big swing. You can see way over Overlook Mountain and Black Lake when you’re eating an apple.” “What? Do you mean to tell me they have magic apples up here? That’s some record,” said the Maniac. “I know you can see stars, when you’re hit over the head or something like it, but seeing mountains and lakes when you’re eating an apple, beats anything I’ve _ever_ heard.” Westy said, “Didn’t you hear Roy say we’re about to enter the land of mystery? You should listen.” “Sure,” I said, “if you eat enough apples you can look right through the Woolworth Building.” “Swingin’ of course, oh you fellows know what I mean——” began poor Pee-wee.