CHAPTER II
CREATING A PANIC
When Hugh gave utterance to this really startling announcement, henaturally lowered, his voice. The others came crowding up, and staredat the tell-tale mark. As their scout education had long since passedfar beyond the novice range they had no difficulty in seeing that Hughhad stated the truth.
"A whopping big foot made that mark," whispered Billy.
"And see there," added Alec, hastily, also in a low tone, "here'sa second one not so big. Two fellows crossed this hole in the wall,and only a short time ago, because the mud is as fresh as it can be."
That caused the scouts to exchange significant looks.
"Anyhow," Billy was heard to whisper to himself, "whoever made thosefootprints was a live human being, and no spook, that's sure."
The thought evidently did much to relieve his mind, Hugh realized. Alecmeanwhile was shaking his head as though not only puzzled but annoyed.
"What do you make of it, Hugh?" he asked, like most of the fellowsturning to the scout master when there was a difficult problem to besolved.
"Oh! there might be several explanations," replied the other with areassuring smile. "First of all, these fellows may be a couple ofcurious countrymen wanting to take a look around while the sun isstill up, being afraid to come here after night sets in."
"Yes, go on, Hugh; what next?"
"Then it might be they are men who have heard about the deserted castle,and wonder if they could pick up anything worth carrying off if theyforced an entrance. But there's still another answer to your question,Alec."
"I can guess what you mean, Hugh. My aunt, it may be, isn't the onlyperson with money to burn who's taken a notion to buy Randall's Folly.Is that what you've got on the tip of your tongue, Hugh?"
"Just what I meant to say," he was told. "But no matter, if we findthere's a rival in the field, perhaps we might scare him off in someway. That wouldn't be such a hard thing to do, when you've got ahaunted house to work with."
"Oh! with my trick of throwing my voice, Hugh," spoke up MonkeyStallings, "I bet you I could play the ghost racket to beat the band.Just give me a try-out and see what I can do, Hugh."
"Well, first of all," remarked the scout master, "we had better climbover the break in the wall here, and find the trail of these two unknownmen. After all it may turn out they are simple country jakes wantingto take a peep at the mansion they've heard so many queer storiesabout."
Accordingly the five scouts hastened to clamber across the gap, a featrequiring little dexterity; though clumsy Billy had to catch his toeamong the stones, and come near pitching headlong down, were it notfor Hugh quickly throwing out his ready arm.
It required little effort to find the tracks beyond the mass of fallenstones; a mere tyro of a scout could have succeeded in following sucha plain trail, and at that hardly half test his ability along that line.
Bending partly over, the boys kept diligently at work pursuing thezigzag line of footprints. Evidently the men had picked out the easiestway to advance. They must have either known where they were going, orelse followed a former path that was not overgrown, and partlyconcealed with rank vegetation.
"Look! there's a glimpse of the castle!" whispered Alec, suddenly.
Through the openings in the copse beyond they could see the gray wallsrising up ahead. It was an impressive spectacle. The westering sunshone on the tower that had been made to look like some old-time typeEnglish masonry, famous in history, with its portcullis, drawbridge,and surrounding watery ditch known as a "moat."
After silently inspecting the side of the old building thus presentedto their gaze for a minute or so, the boys began to show their formerrestlessness.
"The trail keeps right on, Hugh!" whispered Alec, which was as much assaying that he could see no reason for further delay.
"Listen!" cautioned Arthur.
"Oh! what did you think you heard?" asked Billy, with a gasp.
"It must have been voices somewhere ahead of us," came the answer. "Themen are talking it over, most likely."
"Debating whether they've got the nerve to go a step further and enterthe haunted castle," chuckled Alec. "Let's move on, and get a squintat the bold trespassers, Hugh."
Accordingly once more the whole party started to move ahead, foot byfoot. All the woodcraft they had managed to pick up in previousexploits was brought into play as they crept along softly.
"Stop!" Hugh gave the low order, finally.
"I see them, Hugh," announced Alec, eagerly.
"Show me where," begged Billy, pushing himself forward.
A few seconds later Arthur was heard to say disdainfully:
"Why, it looks to me as if they might be only a pair of Weary Willies,who had wandered up here from tramping the railroad ties. They musthave heard about a fine house lying idle here, and have come to campout for a spell. You can see they've got a chicken dangling by theneck, and some old tomato cans they mean to make coffee in. Whew!but they are a tough looking pair, I tell you."
Alec looked, and sniffed disdainfully.
"Here's where we're up against it good and hard, fellows," he remarked,softly. "The question is, do we want to stand for that couple ofgreasy hoboes keeping us company while we camp out here in the desertedcastle? Everybody say his mind, and majority rules, you know."
"Excuse me, if you please," muttered Arthur, with a shudder. "I'dsooner sleep in a pigpen than alongside such human animals as thoseunclean hoboes."
"Why," remarked Billy, aghast at the thought, "they might rob us ofour blankets; or worse, of our precious grub, which would be what I'dcall a calamity without equal."
"We've just got to bounce them, that's plain," said Monkey Stallings."Hugh, you remember what you the same as promised me?"
"Oh! if you think you can start something that will rid us of thepair," the scout master told him, "go to it right away. If you wantus to help, say the word, Monkey."
Already the other was feverishly attacking his pack, which he hadtossed upon the ground. He soon found what he was looking for, tojudge from the satisfied exclamation that passed his lips.
"Tell us what you've got there, Monkey," urged Alec.
"Yes, that's do," added Billy, anxiously, "because we want to be onour guard. If it throws a scare into those tramps it might work justas bad with some other fellows I know, unless they were warnedbeforehand. Show your hand, Monkey, please."
"Oh! shucks! it's only a sort of wild-goose call I tried to makefrom directions I read in a little book," confessed the ingeniousone. "It don't seem to imitate a wild honker much, but say, I c'nmake the most _unearthly_ sounds come out of this hollow bone youever listened to. Why, it nigh about freezes my own blood when Itry the call in the pitch dark. Now watch and see what happens."
"Be careful, Monkey," warned Hugh, as the other prepared to creepaway. "Don't let them glimpse you at any time, or there may be serioustrouble. They look like an ugly couple of customers. I suppose youmean to try and get around on the other side of them?"
"Sure thing," replied the originator of the scheme, "and if I wereyou, Hugh, I'd make out to hide your bunch, because, believe me, thatpair will come whooping along this way like mad pretty soon."
"Which is what we'll do right away, Monkey, never fear," Hugh toldhim.
Accordingly the four scouts disposed themselves in such fashion thatwhile they would be hidden from view they could at the same time watchwhatever took place, and enjoy the fun, if, by good luck, the schemearranged for the entertainment of the bold hoboes, turned out successful.
The two ragged wanderers were sitting on the stones bordering theditch or "moat" that surrounded the make-believe ancient castle.They evidently debated as to the advisability of forcing an entranceto the wonderful mansion, and taking up temporary or permanent quartersthere. Perhaps the idea of spending the coming winter under somagnificent a roof, with frequent excursions around the countrysidein search of necessary supplies, engrossed their
attention.
Some little time passed away. The four boys began to show signs ofimpatience, believing that Monkey Stallings must surely by now havegained the place he had in mind when he left them.
"There, I saw him wave his hand to us from that slit in the stone wallof the tower!" hissed Alec, presently. "He's managed to find a way toget inside after all, and now the fun's going to begin."
"It's time, too," added Arthur, "because the hoboes have made up theirminds to try and break into the house. See, that big chump has pickedup a heavy rock, and he acts as if he meant to hurl the same againstthose stout oaken doors."
Indeed, that was just what happened. The collision, however, onlyresulted in a loud bang, for it would take many hundreds of like blowsto do those stout doors any serious damage. The smaller tramp shookhis head dubiously.
"Now they are talking it over again," whispered Alec. "The short oneis pointing as if he believes they can find a much easier way to getinside than trying to smash the door down. Hey! Monkey, better getbusy or you'll find the pair treading close on your heels."
Hardly had Alec spoken that last low word than a thrilling sound camefloating to the ears of the four listening scouts. None of them couldever describe what it was like; indeed, it seemed to possess a characterall its own, and somehow caused the "goose-flesh" to creep over theirbodies, even though they knew the origin of the uncanny cry.
The two tramps had jumped back at the first outburst. They seemed tobe staring wildly toward the "donjon tower," as Alec persisted incalling the round structure at one end of the imitation castle.Louder and louder grew the racket. Billy laid a trembling hand onHugh's arm as though seeking comfort from personal contact with thescout master.
Presently the pair of hoboes appeared to have reached the limit oftheir endurance. One snatched the dead fowl that had possibly beenstolen from some farmyard on their way up from the railroad; whilethe other hastily gathered the rest of their primitive possessionsin his trembling hands.
Then, as another fearful burst of strange cries broke forth from thehaunted castle, the two men started wildly on the run. Faster andfaster grew their pace as Monkey blew more furiously on his home-made"goose-call" with telling effect. As they passed the spot where Hughand the other three scouts were lying in concealment, the alarmedpair could be heard giving vent to excited remarks, and some stronglanguage as well, though neither of them seemed to possess the nerveto turn his head and look back so as to find out if they were beingpursued.
So they went out of sight along the crooked trail they had made inapproaching the deserted mansion; though for several minutes afterwardsthe sound of frequent collisions with trees, and stumbles over hiddenvines proclaimed that their panic showed no signs of abating.