“What doing?” questioned Stanley.

“Oh, I don’t know yet.”

They took their time climbing the long hill leading to the haunted house, and it was just three o’clock when they came in sight of the dilapidated structure, almost hidden in the tangle of trees and underbrush.

“Now, Songbird, you’ve got to be back here by four, or half after, at the latest,” said Dick as he and his brothers and Stanley got out.  “No spooning with Minnie till six.”

“Huh!  I don’t spoon,” grumbled the would-be poet.  “I am—­er—­only going to show her some new verses I wrote.  They are entitled—­”

“Keep them for Minnie!” cried Sam.  “And remember what Dick said.  We are not going to hang around here after dark.”

“Scared already?” asked Songbird.

“No, but enough of this place is enough, that’s all.”

“I’ll be back, don’t worry,” said Songbird, and away he drove at a swift gait, leaving the Rovers and Stanley in the roadway in front of the house said to be haunted.

It was certainly a lonely spot, no other house being in sight, for Rushville lay under the brow of a hill.  The boys stood still and listened.  Not a sound broke the stillness that surrounded the deserted house.

“It sure is a ghostlike place,” remarked Stanley.  “I shouldn’t care to come here at midnight.”

“Oh, that wouldn’t make any difference, if you had a light,” answered Dick.  The thought of a ghost had never bothered him very much.

Boldly the four boys entered what had once been a fine garden.  The pathway was now overrun with weeds and bushes, and they had to pick their way with care.  Then they ascended the piazza, the flooring of which was much decayed.

“Look out that you don’t fall through somewhere, and break a leg,” cautioned Tom.  “This is worse than it looks from the outside.”

“Wait till we get inside,” said Sam.  “Glad we brought a lantern.”  For a light had been taken along at the last minute.

They pushed open the front door and entered the broad hall.  As they did so they heard a noise at the rear of the place.

“What was that?” asked Stanley nervously.

“Sounded like a door closing,” answered Dick.

“Hello!” called out Tom.  “Is any one here?”

To this call there was no answer.  Nor was the noise they had heard repeated.

“Come on,” said Dick bravely.  “I am going to walk right through the house, room by room, from top to bottom.”

“And we’ll all go along,” said Tom and Sam.

“Well, I am with you,” came from Stanley.  But he plainly showed that he did not relish what was before him.

CHAPTER XXV

IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY

The first room the boys entered was the parlor.  It was totally dark, the blinds of the windows being tightly closed.  It was full of cobwebs, which brushed their cheeks as they passed along.