that rose sharply for
nearly a hundred feet.

The upthrusting section was barren of grass, and at its base, boards
were nailed across what was obviously the opening into the mine.

"Interesting formation, isn't it?" Dr. Miller asked.

It definitely was, and Rick said so. Even to his relatively untrained
eye, this was a place where a volcanic fissure had opened ages ago,
allowing igneous rock to thrust sharply upward through the sedimentary
layers of the older ground. Now the formation had weathered until it was
like a barren hill built on top of a fertile one. On the steep slope of
igneous rock no grass had managed to get hold, although a few hardy
weeds clung to it.

Barby pointed to a shelf, actually a terrace in the rock structure,
above and a few yards to the left of the mine entrance. "He appears
there," she said.

"Let's get a good position," Rick urged. "It's almost nine."

The sky was still blue in color, but it was already dark on the ground.
Fires flared up brightly, but the picnickers were hushed, as though they
knew what was coming. They probably had not seen the ghost, and it was
likely few believed they would see anything, but the unknown casts a
strong web, and they were feeling its effects.

The Spindrifters moved along through groups of picnickers until they
were directly opposite the old mine shaft, and took up positions in the
shelter of an oak tree.

"There's a pool of water on top of that shelf," Dr. Miller told the
boys. "It's from a spring, actually an artesian well. There's a pipe
outlet up there from which water flows constantly. It collects in the
pool, which overflows into a natural drainage ditch."

The scientist pointed to where the tiny stream made its way down the
hillside and disappeared among the trees. "Over the years it has cut a
natural channel to the creek. So far as anyone can remember, it has
always been here. The pipe was replaced a few years ago, apparently by
driving a new one into the hillside. The original well probably was
driven during the Civil War."

Rick examined the terrain. "Odd, water coming out of a hillside like
that, especially when the hillside isn't part of a mountain."

"The water comes off the Blue Ridge, and it develops a pretty good head
of pressure in its underground channels. Whoever drove the original well
simply tapped that hydrostatic head, although why they didn't drive the
well at this level is beyond me."

A sudden scream from nearby br