“It’s our only chance to sleep out,” said the Stallings boy, “because we’ve got to make tracks to-morrow afternoon, you remember.”

“I should say that Alec ought to be able to take all the pictures he needs of this old rookery this morning,” remarked Arthur.  “As for me, I’ve seen all I want of the place.  It makes me feel sad, because I can’t help thinking of what happened up here so long ago.  It was a crazy man’s scheme to start with, and then there was the terrible tragedy that happened later on.  Ugh! let’s climb out right now.”

So they built a nice cooking fire, and started to get breakfast.  It was while they discussed the morning meal with the eagerness that boys’ healthy appetites alone can display, that Billy asked a leading question.

“I forgot to ask if anybody heard a ghost laugh in the night?” he demanded.  “Once I happened to wake up, and imagined I could hear somebody laughing away off in the distance; but say, I only pulled my head further under my blanket, and went to sleep again just like an innocent little babe.  How about that, Hugh, Alec, and the rest?  Was there anything doing?”

This was the time for Alec to tell about the little adventure Hugh had met with.  Billy’s eyes grew round with wonder and awe as the story proceeded, and seeing this, Alec did his best to keep up the interest at fever heat to the point where Hugh burst into the haunted turret chamber, and made the discovery that it was tenanted by a family of owls, and some bats.

“Gee whiz!” ejaculated Billy, heaving a great sigh of relief, “I honestly began to believe you meant to tell us that turret-tower room was the place where the tragedy happened, and that Hugh had watched it all being repeated over again.  Owls, hey?  Well, they’re an innocent lot when you get acquainted with ’em.  All the same, let me tell you I’m glad we expect to sleep outdoors to-night.”

“When we get through breakfast, boys,” suggested Arthur, greatly interested in what he had just heard, “let’s all go up and be introduced to Hugh’s pets, if they haven’t vamoosed the ranch.  I always did like to watch owls stare at you with their big yellow eyes; but you want to keep away, for they’ve got wicked beaks, and can take a piece of skin off your hand as easy as anything.”

Accordingly this programme was carried out.  The visit to the turret chamber was not as productive of results as some of the boys might have wished, for most of the owls and bats went scurrying forth through the slits in the wall as soon as the door was opened, despite the garish light of day which they were supposed to dislike.  Still, enough were seen to satisfy Billy the story had been no “fake.”

Alec said he was disappointed because he could not take a picture of the whole outfit; though not necessarily for the benefit of his rich aunt.

“But the sun seems just about right for the several exposures I want to make of the southeastern side of the castle,” he told them, “so let’s climb down out of this and get busy.”