The San Francisco call., 1910-10-30
by T.. W. nud ~. II. SPAUIDING
tSccond InstnIImcnb

gristmil was full of spooks, suddenly
called out to the boys to stop. What
for?" sang out somebody. You amt
going to the old gristmill, are you?"
"Yes, that is just where we're heading.
1t is the most likely place for them to
take their prisoners" II wouldn't go
near it if were you,' called out Willie.
You know the place is haunted" Not
a word was said in answer to this. But
it was noticed that the boys suddenly
decreased their speed and fell into a
walk and finally, when they came to
the road that branched off to the grist-
mill, they all came to halt.
The night was exceptionally dark,
with just an occasional glimpse of the
moon as it appeared in riffs of the
dark, threatening clouds. The wind had
sprung up, which caused the branches
of the tall pines that lined either side
of the road at this point to make those
queer, squeaking noises that sound so
mysterious and ominous on dark
night. Mark had grown thoughtful,
too, and as he looked at the faces of
the boys nearest him ne could see that
the boastful spirit of the earlier part
of the evening was fast leaving them
and he saw that he must start some
thing moving right away. Now, boys
he said I'VE are quite near the old
gristmill. There is no doubt that
is where the Terrible Terriers have
gone with their prisoners. If they've
begun the torturing already we'll sail
into them good and hard. There are
about 40 Of us here, and I am sure it
will be more than enough to take Bee
ties and his crew into camp" Some one
suggested that it might be true that
the mill was haunted. THAT, you
know, is all nonsense. There is no
such thing as ghost"
Hardly had Mark finished speaking
when several white robed figures
passed swiftly across their path. This
threw the Yarrow boys into a regular
panic and about half of them fled in
wild terror down the road. Mark tried
to reassure those that were left and
to convince them that there was no
cause for alarm. They are the Ter
rible Terriers dressed in sheets, and If
you will just stay here a moment I
will prove 1t to you" AS he spoke he
saw another white sheeted figure ap-
preaching in most peculiar manner.
Every now and again 1t would sudden
ly sink waist deep into the ground, or
apparently so, and then as suddenly
stretch itself high in the air to nearly
twice it's original height
1t was sight to weaken the bo1dest
and most Of the boys were feeling
pretty shaky. many of them remaining
rooted to the spot on which they stood.
Their feet seemed glued to the ground.
Mark was little bit surprised himself
and he had to admit that it was the
nearest thing to ghost that could pos
-Sibly be imagined. But still he clung to
his healthy disbelief In spooks and
surely-no, he was not mistaken-it
had muscular. boyish hands and the
thick high-low shoes affected by Ruck-
ford boys.
The dark lantern which Mark carried
and which had been thoughtfully lent
to him by the anxious Jerry Mulligan,
revealed these encouraging facts. His
wavering courage returned with a
bound and, calling to number of boys
to follow him. he started in hot pursuit.
His coming was so sudden that he was
upon the strange apparition before the
owner Of the Ruckford high-lows knew
what he was about, or had time to think
what was happening. Mark felt his
hands graspng something pretty much
alive and found that he had to put
forth all of his strength to keep from
being thrown to the ground. Marks
companions came to his rescue and soon
they had made the make believe ghost
their prisoner.
They removed the white shroud that
he was enyeloped in. and discovered
that they had captured no less a per-
sonage than the leader of the Terriers"
the renowned Beetles. The very one
they desired most to take prisoner. II
Now that these fitting white figures
proved to be something more substan-
tial than ghosts, the rest OF the Yarrow
bows. who moment before were so
panic stricken, became quite bold again
Gee, / wasn't scared, were your was
the general sentiment
Leaving two boys TO guard Beetles.
Mark and the rest of the Yarrow party
hurried down the old road that led to
the ruined grist mill. They kept per-
fectly silent as they approached for
fear of giving alarm To tha ..rrar rs,l