With so much of a foundation to go on, the boys made fine headway with their remaining conversation, nor were they at all disappointed when the train at last reached their own destination, to find that Mrs. Brayton and Sibyl were also “at home.” To be sure, Bar and Val had still a stage ride of some miles to the little village on the coast where they were to do their fishing, but they promised to run over and call on their new friends before returning to the city. “On the whole, Bar,” said Val, “and thanks to you, this has been about the tallest bit of railway riding I ever did in my life.” CHAPTER XIII THE HAUNTED HOUSE Dr. Dryer and his trustees did not care to remain for any great length of time after the opening of what, in their eyes, were little better than scientific toys and curiosities, so that before the close of the day George Brayton and the boys were left in sole possession. “You’re not going to leave all these things out here on the tables over night?” said Zeb Fuller, inquiringly. “We won’t have time to put them away in proper order,” said Brayton. “We must have some new cupboards made expressly for them.” “But they might get injured,” said Zeb. “Is there any danger of that?” asked Brayton. “Who’d want to hurt them?” “I don’t know, exactly,” replied Zeb, “only it seems a risk.” “Are any of the smaller boys mischievous?” asked Brayton. “If they are, I’ll tell you how to fix it. Just let it be understood that this lot of apparatus is the special property of the older boys of Ogleport, and that you mean to take care of it. None of it’ll run away. It can’t even fly as well as Dr. Dryer’s cows.” Zeb blushed to his ears, but Hy Allen responded: “Tell you what, Mr. Brayton, that’s just the thing. We’ll whale the skin off any boy that meddles with our appyrattus. Boys, let’s take a good look at the windows before we go.” “There ain’t a boy in Ogleport that’d touch one of them things,” exclaimed Bill Jones. “Zeb and Hy and me can answer for that, but----” Bill hesitated, and Brayton said: “Are there any hard cases among the boarders, then? We can have our cupboards finished by the time they get here, but they might break ’em open. Then where’d all our experiments go to?” “Don’t know about that,” said Zeb. “We can’t tell who’s coming and who ain’t, just yet, but we’ll keep an eye on ’em when they come.” “That’s right,” replied Brayton. “If you fellows’ll go in with me we can have a grand time of it, this fall and winter. You see, I’m a good deal of a stranger yet, and I shall have to ask your advice about a good many things.” “We’ll be on hand!” exclaimed Hy Allen. “If you want to know anything about Ogleport, you just ask Zeb Fuller. It’s just the same as if you’d asked the whole crowd.”