on him;
naturally he was, as our readers know, very nervy, and he determined to
argue with the ghost. He reasoned that the hidden wealth could be of no
benefit to the spirit where he was, and he thought he might talk him
into keeping quiet.

It was in a trembling voice that Desmond asked:

"Is the spirit here?"

The answer came:

"I am here."

A more experienced person than Desmond would have gotten on to the fact
that it was very strange that the spirit should answer him in such good
English, it being supposed to be the spirit of a Mexican, but spirits
probably can talk any language. At any rate, Desmond did not stop to
consider.

"Do you own the gold?"

"Yes."

"Why can't I have it? I've found it."

"You get away as quick as you can or I'll seize you."

Well, well, this was a great state of affairs; Desmond did not ask any
more questions. He seized his lamp and started to limp from the cave,
and he was white and trembling. He made his way to Creedon Hall and
beheld Brooks and Creedon standing over the fire. On the face of Brooks
there was an amused look, and on Creedon's an expression of real
jollity.

"Great sakes! Desmond," demanded Brooks, "where have you been? I awoke
and found you missing, and Creedon and I have been scared almost to
death."

Desmond tried to assume an indifferent air, and said:

"I wasn't sleepy, so I thought I would go and explore a little."

"You had better be careful how you explore around here."

"Why?"

"Well, that's all; I won't say any more, but be careful, or you may be
suddenly missing."

"What did you find, boy?"

"I'll tell you all about it in the morning."

The men retired to their blankets and Desmond also lay down, after
having promised that he would not attempt to explore any more that
night.

He did not sleep, however; the phantom voice, the treasure, and his
discovery kept him awake, and he lay thinking about ghosts and goblins,
and he muttered;

"Hang it! I never believed in ghosts;" then as he lay there, there came
to his mind a recollection of the jolly look that had rested on the face
of the guide, and there came to his mind a suspicion, and then a
certainty, that he had been fooled. He was a wonderfully sharp lad, and
he began to think the whole matter over, and he recalled the fact that
the ghost had spoken good English.

"Hang me!" he muttered, "if I don't believe I've been made a victim of a
huge joke, and Brooks and Creedon are both guil