me the Fire Bird was loaded up with a
splendid supply of Christmas evergreens.

"I guess that will do," announced Nat, as the little boys piled in their
armfuls. "We have to sit some place, you know."

"What's that?" asked Ned as something rustled along the path.

"A lady!" almost whispered Roland, as if fearful that they might be blamed
for their pillaging.

At that instant a small woman hurried down the other branch of the path,
and called lightly to some one on the roadway.

She evidently did not see the Fire Bird party, for she was on an opposite
path, with a deep hedge between them and her.

"The ghost!" whispered Roger, all eager for some new excitement.

[Illustration: "SHE CALLED LIGHTLY TO SOME ONE ON THE ROADWAY."--_Page_
108.]

"Sure as you live!" answered Nat. "That's not human--it's too flimsy
and--flighty."

It did seem that the person flitted about in a strange sort of way, first
calling, then whistling.

But there was some one waiting.

"There's a carriage," said Joe, crawling under a bush to get a better view
of the other path.

The boys held their breath. What if this might be the owner of the park,
who would object to their taking the evergreens?

It was well the automobile had been left in a secluded spot. Perhaps the
woman would go off without discovering them.

A light carriage entered the driveway. The woman stopped to give some
directions. The driver seemed to hesitate. She was urging him to go toward
the castle, and he evidently wanted to go out on the main road.

"That driver's old Abe," declared Roger, "the fellow from the station."

"It sure is," answered Ned; "but don't speak so loud."

"And he wants to go to the station, which I wish he would do promptly,"
observed Roland, in some suspense.

"But she wants him to drive up to the house. See, she points that way,"
said Nat.

The woman climbed into the carriage, and the driver turned toward the
castle. The boys prepared to make their escape.

"They'll go out the back way," ventured Nat. "Now's our time!"

At that instant a shrill scream rent the air. It was the same, only much
louder, that had startled the party before.

"The ghost!" gasped Roger, jumping into the car.

The others followed. The carriage had made a quick turn and was now almost
upon them.

Ned put on full speed, and was soon out on the open road.

"What's the answer?" asked Tom, who could not make out what all the fuss
was about.

"Did you see