boes, our next-door neighbors. They own the property beyond ours,
and uphill from the mine. We've never worried over the ownership of the
mine itself, because it's worthless for any purpose."

Rick thought it was curious that an offer should be made for worthless
property just as the ghost put in an appearance. It required looking
into. He wondered how to go about it, and decided perhaps a chat with
the real-estate agent might be useful. Dr. Miller readily gave his
permission to try.

To Rick's other question, Dr. Miller had no answer--that was the odd
location of the pipe from which the spring water trickled. The scientist
could make only one suggestion. "Perhaps the hole was drilled
vertically, and a horizontal feed put on for convenience. Then, later,
the area was covered over by tailings from the mine, leaving only the
horizontal pipe. After all, the pipe is not directly over the mine
shaft. It is well to one side, perhaps six or eight feet."

That was a reasonable suggestion, and Rick let it drop for the time
being. In fact, the boys let the entire subject drop for the rest of the
afternoon, although Rick kept worrying the problem as was his way when
confronted with a puzzle.

The Millers had a badminton court in the shade of an enormous old oak,
and after a short pause to let the hot dogs digest at least partially,
Rick and Scotty let themselves in for a series of trouncings by the
girls, who had obviously been playing intensively. It was embarrassing,
to say the least, but neither boy begrudged the girls their success.

Not until dinner was ended did the subject of the ghost in Union blue
come up again, then Rick started his probing once more.

"The business about an offer for the property may not be connected, but
it's a curious coincidence. Now, what else happened about the time the
haunting began? Any other facts, even unconnected ones?"

The Millers could think of none, but Mrs. Miller suggested that Belsely,
their tenant, would know of anything new or unusual. Rick agreed to talk
with him.

At eight o'clock, armed with flashlights, the boys departed for the old
mine. They approached the area with caution, on the alert for any
possible visitors. But the picnic ground was completely abandoned.

A quick inspection of the mine showed only their own footprints. The
boards had been left off the entrance during their earlier inspection,
and apparently no one had been there since. Then, at Scotty's
suggest