“Come, come!” said Major Dale as quickly as he could command his voice.  “Don’t you know me?  Look!  I’m Dale—­of the Guards—­come to save you, Cap.  We have no wish to frighten you!”

“Save me!” hissed the old man.  “Go away!  I’m crazy—­crazy!”

“Not a bit of it,” answered the major, stepping nearer to the stove.  “Come along.  We are snowbound, and had to come in uninvited.”

Assured that the specter was a man and nothing more nor less, Tom had hurried back to reassure the girls.  Nat turned his attention to old Abe, and, between scolding and explaining, finally succeeded in quieting the colored man’s fears.  But the major kept close to the lunatic—­for such he took Captain Mayberry to be.

“And don’t you remember me?” he kept asking, satisfied that a gleam of recognition did pass over the wrinkled face that now peered out into the glare of the lamp from the Fire Bird.  “Come!  We are hungry, and you are too, I’ll wager.  Let’s have mess.  Rations are plenty to-night.”

Crawling like some animal, the old man was finally persuaded to come out from behind the stove.

Major Dale laid his hand on the arm of Captain Mayberry.

[Illustration:  “GO AWAY—­I’M CRAZY, CRAZY!”—­Page 220.]

“Just out here,” directed the major, leading the trembling one.  “You see, we have taken possession of your house.  Tell me how you feel?  How you are?”

Major Dale wanted him to talk, both to quiet the girls’ fears and to determine his actual state of mind.  But Captain Mayberry’s speech was very slow, and decidedly confused.

“I—­guess—­I’m all right—­now,” he managed to utter.  “Where’s—­Jane?”

“Jane?  Oh, yes, Jane,” repeated the major.  “That’s your sister, Miss Pumfret?”

“Was—­not now.  She locks me up—­leaves me to die!”

“Oh, now, come.  Isn’t it Jane who brings you things to eat?” asked the major, venturing a guess.  “Why, didn’t she send—­the coal—­and the bread?”

“Yes, yes,” answered the old man, “but she will not let me go.  She drove me crazy.  Yes, and I’m crazy now.”

“Not a bit of it.  Here, sit down on this seat,” and Major Dale motioned to Tom.  “This young man will stay by you to keep you company while we prepare the mess.  Perhaps you will show us how to get water?  And have you any way of lighting up?”

A look of intelligence crossed Captain Mayberry’s face.  He shuffled over to a corner, and actually pressed a button.

The chandeliers poured out a flood of electric light.

“Jane did that,” he muttered.  “She likes light.”

“Well, I’ll be hanged!” exclaimed Tom.

“And I’ll be jiggered!” added Nat.

“The poor old man!” whispered Dorothy, venturing to take a step toward him.  “And to think we were afraid of him!”

“Were!” remarked Tavia significantly.  “I’m just scared to death this very minute.  Suppose he screams again?”