disturber of the peace. "But it moved, and beckoned to us to come
on over. You needn't laugh, Steve Mullane, I tell you I saw it
plainly right over yonder where that big clump of Canada thistles
is growing. Course I'm not pretending to say it was a man, or yet a
wolf, but it was something, and it sure did move!"

Hugh was looking with more or less interest. He knew how things
appear to an excited imagination, and that those who believe in
uncanny objects seldom have any trouble about conjuring up specters
to satisfy their own minds.

So all of them, save, perhaps, the driver, kept their eyes focussed
on the spot mentioned by Julius until the first clump of trees shut
out their view of the old stone quarry and its gruesome surroundings.

"I looked as hard as I could," said Horatio, "but never a thing did I
see move. Guess you've got a return of your old malady, Julius, and
you were seeing things by daylight, just as you say you used to in
the dark."

"The only explanation I can give," spoke up Hugh, and, of course,
every one lent a willing ear, because, as a rule, his opinions carried
much weight with his chums; "is that while Julius may have seen
something move, it was only a long, feathery plume of grass, nodding
and bowing in the wind. I've been fooled by the same sort of object
many a time. But let it pass, boys. We've turned our back on the old
quarry now, and are headed for the road again, two miles above Hobson's
mill-pond. I only hope we find it better going on this end of the
abandoned trail. This jumping is hard on the springs of the car, and
also on our bones."