s boy, "and already
three have given their assent; so it's no back-out for little Horatio."

"Course I'll agree, Hugh," quickly added Julius, when he saw that the
other had turned toward him. "I'm just as curious as the next fellow
to see that old haunted quarry---in the daytime, of course. Besides,
everybody knows there isn't any such thing as a ghost. All such stories,
when they're sifted down, turn out to be humbugs. Sometimes the moving
spectre is a white donkey browsing alongside the road. Then again I've
heard of how it was a swing that had a white pillow left in it by the
children, and the night wind caused it to advance and retreat in a
_terrible_ way. Hugh, let's investigate this silly old business while
we're on the spot."

And by these wonderfully brave words Julius hoped to dissipate any
notion concerning his alleged timidity that may have lodged in the
brains of his chums.

So K.K. started up again, and by another minute the old car had passed
in among the trees, with the overgrown brush "swiping" against the
sides every foot of the way. It was necessary that they proceed
slowly and cautiously, because none of them had ever been over that
long disused road before, and all sorts of obstacles might confront the
bold invaders of the wilds.

Hugh was using his eyes to good advantage, and at his advice the others
did the same. It was a good thing the car was old, and that it
mattered nothing how those stiff branches scraped against the sides
during their forward progress. K.K. knew how to manage, all right,
and, although the trail was quite rough in places where the heavy
rains had washed the earth away, and left huge stones projecting,
he was able to navigate around these obstacles successfully.

Twice they came to low places where water ran, and there was some
danger of the heavy car becoming mired. At such times several of the
boys would jump out, and after investigating the conditions perhaps
throw a mass of stones and pieces of wood in, to make what Hugh
called a sort of a "corduroy road" across the swampy section of ground.

It was all very interesting in the bargain, and, for the time being,
the boys even forgot the fact that they were exceedingly tired.

Then they seemed to be gradually ascending a grade, where the road
turned out to be somewhat better.

"I imagine we're getting close to the quarry now, fellows," Hugh
informed them; "if what I was told is true. It will lie over here
on