CHAPTER XXIII--LED BY A MAN
When the boys arrived at the familiar place in the road they werestartled by a renewal of the shouts from the house. It was the faintsound of these calls which had alarmed them and caused them to turn backon their way.
Even while they were hesitating as to whether or not they should leavethe car and run to the house to aid their friends, who apparently werein dire trouble, they saw two forms emerge from the front door. Theyinstantly recognized George and Grant, for the light was stillsufficient to enable them to see quite plainly across the fields. Bothboys were running at their highest speed.
Blowing the horn of the automobile and shouting, both John and Fred didtheir utmost to call the attention of their friends to the fact thatthey were awaiting their coming. That their calls were heard wasspeedily manifest when both George and Grant, turning slightly in thedirection in which they were speeding, ran toward the great tree.
At that moment George stumbled over some unseen object and fell headlongupon the ground. His companion stopped a moment and Fred and Johnwatched him as he lifted George to his feet and then both boys renewedtheir flight.
In a brief time they had arrived at the fence and in their haste bothfell when they tried to climb over it.
"What's wrong? What's wrong?" demanded Fred excitedly, as his friendsapproached the car.
"Never mind what's wrong," said George brusquely. "Let me get into thecar and give me that wheel."
No further words were spoken while George and his companions entered thecar and in a brief time the automobile was again speeding down the road.Several times Grant glanced apprehensively behind him, but theincreasing distance evidently gave him renewed courage, for when aquarter of a mile had been covered he said, "I suppose you fellows areboth wondering what the trouble is."
"Yes, we are," said John quickly. "What is it?"
"It's the same thing that scared you, only worse. We heard soundsupstairs that showed that some men up there were fighting, then therewas a pistol-shot and we heard some one fall. After that there weregroans and cries galore, and we thought it was time for us to start forhome."
"You were brave boys to leave that other fellow!" said Fred tartly. "Ifthere was some one shot, it was time for you to help him."
"We couldn't help him very much if we went upstairs only to be shotourselves," said George sharply.
"You don't know what you could have done," retorted Fred.
"No, I didn't know, but I'll tell you what I'll do. If you want to goback there right now, I'll take you back."
"I don't want to go," said Fred quietly. "It's time for somebody besidesboys like us to step in. I think the best thing for us to do will be tofind some man and take him back there. We can go in with him then andhelp if we have to."
"I guess that's a good suggestion, all right," said George quickly."Grant and I were so scared that we couldn't think of anything exceptgetting out of the horrible old house in the best possible time. My,think how Grant loped along, taking about six feet at a jump."
"I noticed that I wasn't alone," said Grant, dryly. "Whoever it was withme wasn't very far behind."
"I guess you're right," acknowledged George. "Now I'll own up, fellows,about the speaking tube and the swallows. I knew the birds were in thechimney and I knew too that you didn't know much about such things, so Ithought I would let you work it out. Then I put in that speaking tubeand added to the fun, but I tell you right now that I have had mylesson. I'm not afraid of all the ghosts in Jersey, but I don't like thesounds that came from that upper room in the old Meeker House. I don'tmind saying so to any one. I guess my father is at the house by thistime, for he said he might come out to-night. If he is, we'll tell himall about it and let him take charge. It's time for the Go Ahead boys togo ahead all right, but I think they had better follow somebody who isolder, all the same."
All the boys agreed that George's suggestion was the best that could bemade. The speed of the automobile increased and not many minutes hadelapsed when the Go Ahead boys arrived at George's home.
They were all delighted when they found that Mr. Sanders was there. Helistened to the story of the excited boys and then quietly said, "Ithink we'll have dinner first and then I'll go with you over to the oldMeeker House. You have been stirring up the spooks, have you?" and Mr.Sanders laughed as he spoke. "There were spooks there when I was a boy,and I remember how we used to steer clear of the corner when we werecoming home evenings. When we were a little older we began to makeinvestigations and found there wasn't anything unusual or that couldn'tbe explained about the old place. But the stories of the spooks havekept up just the same. I don't know why, unless it is that there aresome people that believe such things just because they want to believethem."
"That's what Caesar says," spoke up Grant. "I remember in hisCommentaries he wrote that 'men believe that which they wish tobelieve.' But, Mr. Sanders, don't you think there's something verystrange about what George and I heard there to-night?"
"There may be," admitted Mr. Sanders, "but there have been so manystories told about the old house that I do not know whether you boysthought you heard something or really did hear it."
"You would have known if you had been with us," spoke up George quickly.
"Well, I shall be with you soon and then we will try to find out. Icannot believe there is anything wrong there, so we might as well haveour dinner and then we will start."
The plan of Mr. Sanders was followed, and directly after dinner the GoAhead boys, together with George's father, started once more for theplace which had been the scene of so much excitement throughout theirsummer vacation.
Upon the suggestion of Mr. Sanders a lantern was taken with them. Whenthey arrived at the familiar spot beneath the old oak tree the lanternwas lighted and all five started across the fields toward the MeekerHouse.
No one spoke until they arrived at the front door, which now had becomea familiar spot to all four boys. Without a word Mr. Sanders pushed openthe door and stepped within the room. Instantly there was a greatfluttering of wings, for the chimney-swallows, startled by the light aswell as by the unexpected entrance of the visitors, were displayingtheir alarm by their frantic cries and swift flight. No other sounds,however, were heard when the birds at last became more quiet.
"Where did you say the trouble was?" inquired Mr. Sanders.
"In the room upstairs," answered George.
"The one directly over this?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, then the only thing for us to do is to go up there and see whathas happened."
The boys agreed to the suggestion and although no one spoke every onewas aware that his companions were as excited as he when slowly theybegan to mount the rickety stairway. The boards creaked and groanedbeneath their feet, increasing the excitement of all.
When they had arrived at the platform about midway on the stairway, allstopped and listened. The screeching sounds of the excited birds stillcontinued, but otherwise the silence was unbroken.
"Is there anybody here?" called Mr. Sanders loudly. As no reply was madeto his inquiry he turned to the boys and said, "There doesn't appear tobe anybody here. Well go on up and continue our investigations."
Once more leading the way, Mr. Sanders noiselessly mounted the steps,the boys keeping closely together and not far behind the leader. Holdinghis lantern before him Mr. Sanders stopped when he arrived at the headof the stairway and examined the rooms that opened before him.
Suddenly a sound very like laughter was heard in the old building, butit quickly ceased and in place of it the faint tooting of an automobilehorn was heard.
The boys now were staring about them and had it not been for thepresence of George's father it is doubtful if any one would haveremained.
As it was, a startling event occurred which instantly cause all five toturn quickly about and run swiftly down the stairway.