"Why, Bert, what makes you sleep so soundly this morning?" said Mrs. Bobbsey. "I--I didn't get to sleep until late," he stammered. And then he added: "Mamma, do you believe in ghosts?" "Why, of course not, Bert. What put that into your head?" "I--I thought I saw a ghost last night." "You must have been mistaken. There are no ghosts." "But I saw _something_," insisted the boy. "Where?" "Right at the foot of the bed. It was all white." "When was this?" "Right in the middle of the night." "Did you see it come in, or go out?" "No, mamma. When I woke up it was standing there, and when I took a second look at it, it was gone." "You must have been suffering from a nightmare, Bert," said Mrs. Bobbsey kindly. "You should not have eaten those nuts before going to bed." "No, it wasn't a nightmare," said the boy. He had but little to say while eating breakfast, but on the way to school he told Nan, while Freddie and Flossie listened also. "Oh, Bert, supposing it was a real ghost?" cried Nan, taking a deep breath. "Why, I'd be scared out of my wits,--I know I'd be!" "Mamma says there are no ghosts. But I saw something--I am sure of that." "I don't want to see any ghostses," came from Flossie. "Nor I," added Freddie. "Sam told about a ghost once that was as high as a tree an' had six heads, to eat bad boys and girls up. Did this have six heads, Bert?" "No." "How many heads did it have?" "I don't know--one, I guess." "And was it as high as a tree?" went on the inquisitive little fellow. "Oh, it couldn't stand up in the room if it was as high as a tree," burst out Flossie. "Could if it was a tiny _baby_ tree," expostulated Freddie. "It was about as high as that," said Bert, putting out his hand on a level with his shoulder. "I can't say how it looked, only it was white." "Perhaps it was moonshine," suggested Nan, but at this Bert shook his head. He felt certain it had been more substantial than moonshine. That day Danny Rugg came to school as usual. When questioned about his absence he said he had had a toothache. When Bert looked at him the big boy merely scowled, and no words passed between the pair. Directly back of Lakeport was a long hill, used during the winter by all the boys and girls for coasting. After school Nan and Bert were allowed to go to this hill, in company with a number of their friends. They were admonished to come back before dark and promised faithfully to do so. Among the boys there was a great rivalry as to who could go down the hill the fastest, and who could make his sled go the farthest after the bottom was reached. "I'll try my sled against yours!" cried Charley Mason to Bert. "Done!" returned Bert. "Are you going down alone, or are you going to carry somebody?" "You must carry me down," insisted Nan. "Then I'll take Nellie Parks," went on Charley. Nellie was close at hand and soon the two sleds were side by side, with a girl on each. Bert and Charley stood behind. "Are you ready?" asked Charley.