from
the clothesline depended brown paper bags of varying sizes, from large
to tiny, each held by a slender string.

"One at a time," Mr. Holmes explained, "our ghostly friends will go into
the square, and being blindfolded, will endeavour to hit a bag with a
stick. If the attempt is successful the ghost may return unchallenged,
but if he fail to hit a bag the others may guess from his gestures who
it is."

The bags were not very near together, there being only three or four on
each side of the clothesline square.

Mr. Holmes selected one of the phantoms and escorted it to the middle of
the square, placed a stick in the outstretched hand, blindfolded the
motionless figure, turned it round with a whirl and said, "Step
forward, and hit where you choose, and see if you can bring down a bag."

The ghost was very evidently a boy, for two vigorous arms grasped the
stick and with a couple of long strides the white figure stalked
forward.

A vigorous blow ensued, but the stick came down between two of the bags
and made no hit.

"Now you may guess who it is," said Mr. Holmes, "as our friend ghost did
not strike anything. If you guess right, he must take off his mask, but
if not he may retain it. Only one guess allowed."

Somebody sung out the name of Jack Norris, as the ghost was about his
height, but the white figure shook its head vigorously and glided back
among the crowd.

The game went on. Sometimes a ghost would hit a bag and the flimsy paper
would burst and a quantity of peanuts or popcorn would scatter on the
grass, to be scrabbled for by the rollicking phantoms.

One bag held confetti which scattered through the air in a gay shower of
colour.

When it was Dolly's turn, she was determined that she would act as
differently as possible from her usual manner and so fool everybody.
After she was blindfolded and turned round, she took the stick and with
little mincing steps, imitated exactly the gait of Josie Holmes. She
made a wild dash with the stick, but failed to hit a bag and Maisie
Norris called out at once, "You're Josie Holmes! I know that walk!"

Dolly shook her head vigorously and ran back to the crowd. She chanced
to stand next to a very tall ghost who gravely patted her cheek as she
stood beside him. Dolly looked up quickly, for she did not like this
familiarity from a stranger, and she was sure the phantom was too tall
to be any of the boys she knew. Of course, as the party was large, there
were m