CHAPTER III
TAKING POSSESSION
"Don't all laugh at once," cautioned the scout master, knowing that anoutburst was imminent.
Understanding what was meant, the boys threw themselves down upon theground and gave way to merriment that was none the less overpoweringbecause it had to be indulged in "with the soft pedal on," as Arthurartfully expressed it.
While they, were still enjoying themselves in this fashion, MonkeyStallings joined them. He had a huge grin on his rather odd-looking,face, showing that he felt fully satisfied with his recent fine work.
"Say, did I do the thing up in good style, boys?" he demanded.
"I should say you did, Monkey!" burst out Billy. "Makes me think ofone of Aesop's fables I used to read ever so long ago, about the lionand the donkey out hunting together."
"Suppose you tell us about it then," suggested Arthur, a little wickedly,for he had, in truth, a pretty fair idea concerning its nature.
"Why," proceeded Billy, hastily, "it seems they discovered a flock ofgoats in a cave, and the donkey suggested that he disguise himselfwith an old lion skin they found, and go in to scare the goats out,when the lion standing by the exit could kill the game. When he hadhee-hawed and kicked up such a rumpus that the poor goats dashed out,to meet their fate at the exit, the donkey finally came along andproudly asked the lion what he thought of his antics. 'Splendid,'said the lion, or something like that, and I guess you'd have frightenedme, too, if I hadn't known you were only a donkey!"
Monkey Stallings hardly knew whether that, was intended for a complimentor not, but he laughed because the others did.
"All the same I had the longest pole that knocked down the persimmons,"he asserted. "I gave that bunch the biggest scare of their lives.The way is clear for us now, and, thank goodness, we won't have tosleep under the same roof with that greasy pair of rascals, and, afterall; that was the end in view."
"Monkey," said Arthur, "you've put us all under heavy obligations bywhat you did, and for one I'm not going to forget it, or twit you aboutthe funny noises you manage to coax out of that bone goose-call youmade. The end justifies the means, is what I say every time. Now,what's next on the programme, Hugh?"
"Well, since we've met the enemy and won the fight," laughed the other,"I should say our best move would be to occupy the abandoned works.Monkey can lead us to where he managed to get into the castle."
"As easy as falling off a log," asserted the other, proudly, as becamethe principal actor in the late little "unpleasantness."
"Besides," added Alec, impatiently, "we want to take a few picturesinside and out of the old shebang while the sun still hangs high."
"What's the hurry?" asked Billy, who liked to put off things to amore convenient season whenever he could find half of an excuse; "plentyof time to do all that to-morrow, I should think."
"'Strike while the iron is hot,' has always been my motto," assertedAlec, when, in truth, it was mostly his impatience that hastened hisactions. "How do we know what sort of a day to-morrow may turn out tobe? Suppose a storm came along, how could I get a good picture of thecastle to send my aunt so as to pay for the elegant camera she gave me?"
"Guess you're right there, Alec," admitted Billy, always ready to ownup when he felt that the argument was going against him. "Besides,it needs plenty of light to get views inside the house, when the windowsare as small and measly as they seem to be here."
"Oh! as for that," declared the other, airily, "leave it to me. I'vebeen smart enough to fetch along an entire outfit for taking flashlightpictures; so you see we can get all we want after night comes."
"You've certainly got a level head on your shoulders, Alec," venturedArthur, giving the other a slap on the back that was intended forcommendation, though it made the recipient jump, for he had not beenexpecting anything of the sort, and possibly there was that aboutthe air of that haunted mansion which caused all of them to be a bitmore nervous than usual.
Monkey Stallings led them around to one side of the rambling building.As they went, they were loud in their expressions of amazement andeven delight, for really, it was an impressive sight to the eyes ofAmerican lads not accustomed to crumbling ruins of old-time castles,where doughty knights of the Middle Ages may have fought in tournamentwith lance and sword.
"Wait up a bit, please, fellows!" suddenly exclaimed Alec. "I couldn'tfind a better view of the castle than right here, with that sun blazingalong the walls, the turrets and that magnificent donjon tower. Iwant every one of you to be in the picture at that, so place yourselvesas I tell you."
Alec was something of a photographer, and had many good views in abook at home. He fully expected to do wonderful things with thisexpensive outfit, since the lens alone cost three times as much ashis other camera complete.
When he had snapped off several views he declared himself satisfied.
"In the morning, if the weather holds good," he remarked as he gavethem the "high sign" that he was through, and that they need not poseany longer, "I mean to pick up a couple of views from the other side.The morning sun will allow me to do that, you understand. And now,Monkey, where did you climb inside?"
They were soon able to gain the interior after the same manner inwhich the pilot of the exploring expedition had accomplished it.Monkey's sharp eyes had discovered a small opening that might be calleda slit in the solid wall, after the fashion of those to be seen inthe dwellings of Moors and Arabs and Turks. It was easy enough foreach boy in turn to squeeze himself through that slender gap, thoughonce there arose a serious doubt in Billy's mind as to whether hewould not stick fast, and have to be pushed through with a rammer,much to his bodily discomfort.
Two fellows behind assisted his progress, while the others in advancegave him a helping hand, so that finally Billy gained his end, thoughhe could long afterwards be seen ruefully rubbing his elbows and hipsas though they had been scraped in the passage.
After that they left their packs in one of the lower apartments, whilethey roamed all through the wonderful interior. Apparently moneyhad not been spared in the erection of an imitation castle, thoughHugh found, in some places where what was supposed to be solid rock,proved to be only wood, skillfully painted to resemble the more lastingmaterial.
"Whew! it has about forty rooms all told, I should say," observedthe steaming Billy after they had wearied of wandering about the strangeplace, and came back to the apartment where their blankets and packshad been deposited.
"Wonder how Aunt Susan will like the blooming old shack?" Alec washeard to say as though some doubt had already commenced to enter hismind.
"You, said, she wanted it quiet, you know, Alec," observed Hugh."I defy any one to find a place that fills that bill better thanthis one. Why, not even the peep of a bird can be heard; it's justa brooding silence that would get on the nerves of most people andmake them shout out loud."
"Let's hope it stays that way while we're up here," said Billy, andthen noticing that some of the other fellows were smiling broadlyhe hastened to add: "Oh! it isn't that I really expect anything likea ghost to walk when it comes midnight, you understand, but I don'talways sleep as sound as I would like, and I hate to have anythingscreechy wake me up. So, Monkey, please keep that goose-call of yoursin your pocket the rest of the time."
"Perhaps, we had better get ourselves comfortably fixed before nightfinds us," suggested Hugh. "We can make a blaze in that fireplaceand cook supper here as nice as any one would want. It's going toturn out a novel experience for the lot of us."
"You bet it, will," asserted Monkey Stallings stoutly. "I alwaysdid think I'd like to spend just one night in a house they said washaunted. To tell you the honest-truth I'm real glad you asked meto come along, Alec, even if there does seem to be a queer feelingrunning up and down my backbone. I never knew the like before savethat time I was dared to walk through the graveyard at midnight, andsome fellows tried to scare me with their old sheets. Huh! I hadmade sure to carry Tige, my bulldog, h
id under my coat, and I justlet him loose. It makes me sick with laughing even now when I rememberhow those sillies tore off, with that pup snapping at their legs."
"I'm glad to notice," said Billy, just then, "that we can fasten bothdoors to this lower room, if we feel like it. You see, they've gotbolts that can be shot into the sockets."
"Shucks!" mocked Alec, disdainfully. "What good are locks and barsand bolts when they say a ghost can ooze itself in through a keyholeeven? But then don't get an idea in your head, Billy, we're goingto be bothered by anything except rats. That's the only kind of spooksyou'll find in such a place as this. And after we've had our supperI hope you'll all accompany me while I take some views of the interior,because several of the rooms are going to make dandy pictures."
So supper was cooked after their customary camp style, only in thisinstance, while the scouts had a roof overhead, and stout stone wallssurrounding them, they missed the whispering of the treetops, as wellas the star-studded sky.
Afterwards they gladly helped the aspiring photographer while he madegood use of his flashlight apparatus. Alec chose certain apartmentsin which he fancied his wealthy and eccentric aunt would be mostinterested. He also declared himself satisfied in the end that he hadsucceeded in getting some views that ought to turn out "gilt-edged."
The mansion was unfurnished, so that they had no chance of findingsleeping quarters or beds of any kind above. Whoever now owned theplace had removed all such articles long since, possibly to preventtramps from finding an inducement to lodge in the deserted and lonely,castle.
However, this was nothing serious to fellows who had camped many atime among the rocks, where they were even debarred from having hemlockbrowse for a soft mattress.
"We'll try the floor to-night, boys," said Hugh, as he started tospread his blanket out in regulation style. "If it proves to be toohard for us, perhaps we can put in the second night outdoors somewhere.That will depend on the weather, for we have no tent to keep the rainor snow off, you remember."
The others hastened to copy his example, for they were all fairlysleepy. Billy told himself that he would very likely lie awake allnightlong, because he felt sure something strange was _bound_ to happento them. He was shrewd enough to arrange his blanket bed directlyin the middle, so that he had a pair of chums on either side of him.If the others noticed this sign of weakness they kindly overlookedit. Perhaps, to tell the truth about it, Monkey Stallings and ArthurCameron were themselves not entirely free from uneasiness, and deepdown in their hearts wished the night well over with.
Hugh happened to awaken some time afterwards, and as the flames lazilylighted up the big room occasionally, he lay there watching them playupon the wall. So he allowed himself to figure what strange scenesthese same rooms must have witnessed in those bygone days when the oldjudge and his young prisoner wife occupied the monstrosity of animitation feudal castle.
When Hugh was about to turn over and compose himself to sleep, heheard a peculiar sound that caused his heart to beat much more rapidlythan its wont. He suddenly sat up and listened again.
Boy Scouts with the Motion Picture Players Page 3