"I haven't seen any sign," said Shep

"Because you didn't want to see it, young man!"

"We have only been down to the cove swimming," put in Giant.

"This land is mine now, and I want you boys to keep off of it,"

exclaimed Mr. Spink, hotly. "If I catch you on it again I'll have you arrested."

"We'll get off as soon as we can," answered Snap. And then he added suddenly: "Is Ham home?"

"You mean my son Hamilton, I presume? Yes, he is home. What do you want of him?"

"Nothing, just now. But we may want something later," answered Snap, and started again for the road, his chums following.

CHAPTER IV

THE STORY OF A GHOST

"I say, what do you want of my son Hamilton?" repeated Mr. Spink, coming after the boys with a look of curiosity on his face.

"We want to see him," replied Snap, after a look at his chums.

"What about?"

"We think he played us a mean trick," put in Whopper, as Snap paused.

"Oh, I thought that affair was a thing of the past," said Mr.

Spink, loftily. "My son was not to blame so much as that tramp.

The tramp told a string of falsehoods---"

"We don't mean that, Mr. Spink," spoke up Giant. "We mean a trick Ham and his friend, Carl Dudder, played on us this afternoon."

"Humph! You ahem!---you must be mistaken."

"If we are we won't say anything," said Whopper. "But if he did play the trick---"

"We'll get square with him for it," finished Shep.

"What are you talking about anyway?" demanded the rich man. "I don't see why you can't leave my son alone."

"We will---if he'll leave us alone," said Snap.

"What do you accuse him of?"

"While we were swimming two fellows came up, took our clothes, and tried to run away with them," came from Giant. "We are pretty sure the fellows were Ham and Carl. When we went after them they dropped the clothes in a hurry. Two socks, a collar, and a necktie are missing."

"Yes, and my undershirt was full of knots," grumbled the doctor's son.

"Just wait till I catch the fellows who did that---I'll show 'em!"

"Humph! is that all?" growled Mr. Spink. "I imagine you are only making up this tale to get my son into difficulties,---just because you know I will not permit you to come here to swim.

Now clear out, and be quick about it,---and don't ever come here again." And having thus delivered himself he shook his heavy cane at them, turned on his heel, and walked, away.

"He's a gentleman, I must say," declared Snap, when Mr. Spink was out of hearing. "A person can easily see where Ham gets his arrogant ways."

"Yes, and he'll stick up for Ham first, last and all the time,"

added Whopper.

As the boys walked home they discussed the situation from several points of view. Reaching the street leading to the railroad depot they came in sight of a familiar figure ahead of them. It was the old hunter, Jed Sanborn, and he carried a gun in one hand and a fishing rod in the other, while a basket was slung over his shoulder by a broad strap.

"h.e.l.lo, Jed!" sang out Snap, and ran forward to stop the man.

"Why, boys, how are ye!" said the old hunter, turning around and halting. "Ready to go on your summer trip?" And he smiled broadly.

"Not yet," answered Shep. "But we are going out after the Fourth of July."

"So I heard. Well, I hope ye have as good a time as ye had last summer an' last winter."

"We want to know something about Lake Narsac," came from Whopper.

"I've heard there were about a million snakes up there and all big fellows, too. Is that true?"

"O' course it is," answered Jed Sanborn, with a grin. "Snakes is twenty to fifty feet long, and so thick ye have to wade through 'em up to your knees. Ha ha!" and he commenced to laugh. "I got ahead of ye thet time, didn't I, Whopper?"

"But tell us the truth," insisted Giant. "We're thinking of camping up there, and, of course, we won't want to go if there is any real danger."

"Well, to tell the plain, everyday truth, boys, I don't allow as how there is any more reptiles up to Lake Narsac nor there be around Lake Firefly an' in the mountains whar I hang out. Narsac may have a few more rattlers, an' them's the wust kind---you know thet as well as I do. The wust thing I know about Lake Narsac is the ghost up thar."

"Is there really and truly a ghost?" queried the doctor's son.

"Of course, I don't believe in them," he added, hastily.

"If ye don't believe in 'em why do ye ask about 'em?" demanded the old hunter, rather indignantly.

"Oh, well---" and Shep could not finish.

"Did you ever see the ghost?" asked Snap.

"I sure did, my boy."

"When?" cried Whopper.

"What did it look like?" demanded Giant.

"I see the ghost less nor a month ago---when I was up to Lake Narsac after fish. It was a foggy morning, an' I was fishing from a little island near the upper end o' the lake. All to once I heard a strange sound, like somebody was moanin'. I sat up an' listened, an' I looked around-----"

"And what did you see?" asked Giant, excitedly.