broken
water pipe."

"Yes, that is what made it," said Daddy Bunker, when he had taken a look
and had listened again. "The sound comes loudest when the wind blows."

"The noise sounded, sometimes, when the wind didn't blow," said Grandpa
Ford, as he took the pipe apart, "because of the dried leaves that were
in it. The leaves became water-soaked, and were in a lump. Then, when
this lump slid down it made a sort of choking sound like a pump that
runs out of water. The wind blowing across the pipe, and the wet leaves
sinking down, made the queer noises. I'm glad we've found out about
them."

"But what made it blow all through the house?" asked Mother Bunker.

"Because there are rain-water pipes, or drain pipes, from the gutters on
all sides of the house," explained her husband. "The pipes are
connected, and the sound, starting in the broken pipe under the window
in the storeroom, vibrated all around the house from the attic to the
cellar. That ends the ghost, children."

And so it did, for when that pipe and some others were mended, and
fastened together after being cleaned out, no more groans were heard.
And so the "ghost" at Great Hedge was found to be nothing more than all
ghosts are--something natural and simple.

"Now I can make a riddle about it," said Laddie. "I can ask why is a
ghost like an umbrella?"

"Why is it?" asked Violet.

"'Cause it hid in a rain-water pipe. 'Course that isn't a _very_ good
riddle," admitted Laddie. "Maybe I'll think of a better one after a
while."

"Well, it's good enough this time," laughed Grandpa Ford. "Now the ghost
is 'laid,' as they call it, we'll have lots of fun at Great Hedge."

And so the children did. The Christmas holidays passed and New Year's
came. The snow melted, and there was a chance for more skating and for
rides in the ice boat. Russ kept his word and made one, but it upset
more times than it sailed.

"I wonder what we'll do next Winter," said Rose, as she and Russ were
sliding downhill one day.

"Summer comes before next Winter," he said. "Maybe we'll go visiting
again."

And where the children went and what they did you may learn by reading
the next volume of this series, to be called: "Six Little Bunkers at
Uncle Fred's." He had a ranch out West and----

But there, I'll let you read the book for yourselves.

"Oh, but we're having lots of fun here," said Laddie that night, as he
sat trying to think of a new riddle. "Lots of fun."

"And the bes