The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-10-24
The Fate Of the
Lakeside Ghosts
By II. o. STRANGE.

Six o'clock on Halloween and sup
per not yet over at Lakeside Schoo,
when two boys of about thirteen who
sat nearest the door of the dining hall
slid adroitly underneath the table
and. crawling on all tours. made their
escape. The other boys at the table,
evidently in the secret of the scheme,
closed up in order TO conceal the gaps
left by the fugitives.
Once safely outside, the two boys
|. made their way to an old shed on the
corner of the playground and secured
somewhat bulky parcel Then they
ed in the high road.
Come on, Dick" said one, whose
name was wiIkie. consulting a bat
tered silver watch. We've only got
twenty-five minutes"
They sat OF on a lively trot along
half a mile Of the country road and
then turned of and crossed thicket
coming out on the, shore of a small
lake with a prettily wooded little Is
land in the middle of it. There was a
tradition in the neighborhood that this
island was haunted and that a couple
of ghosts were wandering around in
the moonlight on Halloween
The boys. however. were not super
stitious and, besides. it was daylight
The only fear they had was that they
might be discovered by some one be-
longing to the school
Great luck" whispered Dick. No
body here. I was afraid of old Smith
He wasn't at supper and I was afraid
he might be down here fishing"
Smith was the head monitor of the |
school and the terror Of the lowe!
class boys. He wasn't a bully. but he
thought that his age and experience
demanded that he should keep a firm
hand over the younger boys and they
made things lively for him on that
account whenever they could
Believing the coast was clear. the
boys went straight TO the; boathouse,
opened the door by pulling out one of
the staples and hid their package in
the stern of an old skin
Neither of them noticed a tall form
,
noting every movement they made
Then they replaced the staple and
Eprinted back to the school As they
tried TO sneak into the classroom with
out being seen the master remarked
severely: You two boys must do fifty
lines Of Caesar for being late"
Some hours later. when the Junior
|
to see that all, the boys were safety
in bed. he found all hands in what
seemed TO be a sound sleep. Dick and {
wilbie and some of the other boys
even snored a little. just enough not
to overdo the trick, and Raymond /
Gale. new boy who had arrived only I
the day before. closed his eyes and '
kept very still
when the master passed out of the :
1ormitory there was a general awak- v
ening. and Wilkie said: Now. Gale, v
there's an old custom at Lakeside that
compels every new boy on the first h
night after his arrival to il
90 o-1r on the island and bring back .
/ piece Of moss from a big stone :,
he onfy big stone in the place. You r,
ant miss it." (,
But you said it was out Of bounds" Z,
'eplied Raymond. not at all eager for W
he adventure X
of course it is" was the retort; X
hat makes it all the better. d
Il don't see how I am to get out" y,
"oh, that's easy. This room is only fl
econd focr. and we have a knotted "
ope that you can 60 down. Dick and II,
will go with you to the lake. and W
ow you over to the island All you
Till have to do when you leave us tr
vill be to shove through the trees, 20 on
nd gets the moss and rejoin us. We Ul
ill wait for you with the skin" do
Seeing that there was no help for of
/, Raymond got out of bed and put XII
n his clothes, while the others wi
usied themselves with securing the
ope. In short time all was ready,