old moth fluttering at the window will give me a start,
thinking it's the tiger getting in my East Indian bungalow."

"Well, what's the program, Hugh?" asked K. "Shall I start up again,
so we can continue our journey along this tough old road; or do you
want to get out, and take a hunt around the quarry for the thing that
gave those yawps?"

"Get out?" repeated Julius, in a sudden panic; "not for Joseph. Don't
count on _me_ for any such silly business. I came up here to get
walnuts and such; and I'm meaning to stick close to my engagement.
Side issues can't tempt me to change my mind. Guess I know when I'm
well off."

"It's been several minutes since we heard that sound," Hugh went on
to remark; "and, so far, it hasn't been repeated."

"Oh! it came three times, you remember, Hugh," suggested K.K.; "and,
like in baseball, I reckon it's three times and out. Whatever it was
let out those screeches it's certainly quieted down. How about going
on now, Hugh?"

"If I was alone," mused the other, "I really believe I'd be half
tempted to take a prowl around, and find out if I could what all the
row meant. I never like to pass anything up, when my curiosity is
excited."

"Oh, come back again some other time, Hugh, when you're not booked
for getting home!" sang out Horatio. "If you put it to a vote I
don't believe anybody in this bunch would seem wild to back you up
right now. Fact is, I can hear our supper-bell calling me ever so
loud. Hey! boys, how about that?"

"Let's get a move on!" Julius hastened to reply, so that there could
be no mistaking his sentiments, at least.

Julius was followed by K.K., although the latter shrugged his shoulders
as he added:

"Perhaps it looks timid in us doing what we mean to, but really this
is none of our business, and we might get in some trouble bothering
around here. I read about a house that was said to be haunted,
which story a daring reporter said he'd investigate. He spent a night
there, and actually captured the ghost, who turned out to be just
an ordinary man, living on a place adjoining the haunted estate.
He owned up to being the pallid specter that had been giving the
house such a bad name; and said he wanted to buy the property in for
a song, as it would find no other purchaser if it had such an evil
reputation. Now, maybe somebody wants this quarry for thirty cents,
and this is his way of scaring other would-be purchasers away. We
don't want to butt in