brother said
seriously, "if you were in those woods alone and didn't know that there
was anybody else near."

"I wouldn't make so much fuss about it," muttered Rose, for she
suspected the thought in Russ Bunker's mind and she was really too
scared to approve of it at once.

"We've got to find her," said the boy impressively.

"Now, Russ!" almost wailed Rose, "you wouldn't go into those woods?
Aren't you scared?"

"Of course I'm scared," said Russ. "Who wouldn't be? But just because I
am scared I know the woman must be even more scared. She's got to be
taken out of the woods and shown where the big house is. Or, if she is a
colored lady, we'll take her to the quarters."

"I--I wish Daddy was here," ventured Rose.

"But he isn't here," said Russ, with some vexation. "So we've got to
find the woman by ourselves."

"Oh, dear!" murmured Rose.

But she would not let Russ go alone into the patch of forest behind the
site of Mammy June's burned cabin; nor did she feel like remaining alone
in the clearing. Russ picked up a good sized stick and started toward
the woods.

"Let's shout when we get to the edge," whispered Rose.

They did so; but, really, their voices sounded very faint indeed. No
reply came. It was several minutes after, and Russ and Rose were quite a
distance into the woods and following what seemed to be a
half-grown-over path, before the "woman" screamed again.

"Goodness! How hateful that sounds!" cried Rose.

"I guess she is more scared than we are," ventured Russ. "What do you
think?"

"I think I'd like to be back at the house," answered Rose.

But Russ would not agree with her. As he went on he grew more confident.
They did not see even a rabbit. And Russ and Rose knew that rabbits were
often out at night.

If they had but known it, the awful screech that so disturbed them,
disturbed the rabbits and the other small fry of the woods much more. At
the sound of that terrible hunger-cry all the rabbits, and hares, and
birds that nested on the ground or in trees, trembled.

But Russ seemed to grow braver by the minute. And Rose of course could
not fail to be inspired by his show of courage. They walked along the
path hand in hand, and although they did not speak much for the next few
moments, when they did speak it was quite cheerfully.

"I wish she would yell again," said Russ at last. "For we must be
getting near to where she was."

"We-ell, if she isn't a ghost----"

Just then the sil