“What if he does?” Dorothy whispered back.  “Surely he has more cause to fear us than we have to fear him.  I’m going to—­help—­with things.”

Abe stood with wide-open mouth surveying “the ghost.”

Tom and Nat had brought the relief supplies from the wagon—­old Abe’s strongest carry-all—­which had successfully weathered the snowdrifts between Tanglewood Park and The Cedars.

“It’s stopped snowing,” announced Nat cheerfully.  “Guess we will be able to make it all right by daylight.”

“Fall in! fall in!” called the major, making a place for Captain Mayberry on the end of the seat that served as table and chairs collectively.

It was a queer meal—­but a delightful one.

The relief that Major Dale brought was not in food alone.

“And there’s the coffee!” he announced.  “Will one of you boys just let that stand on the stove in the captain’s private room?”

Tom jumped to comply.  He readily found the means of lighting the secret room, and soon found other conveniences, such as water and cooking utensils.

Captain Mayberry had not forgotten how to eat.  He was “almost human,” as Nat whispered to Dorothy.

“Here, guard!” called the major.  “Fetch that coffee.  Help yourself.”  This to the captain.  “We eat according to rank this time.”

Captain Mayberry seemed to smile.  He took the cup of coffee—­then the others raised their cups to drink a toast.

“To the Guards!” proposed the major.  “Long life and happiness to the last of them!”

It was a strange sight—­the cracked and broken cups that Tom had secured in the captain’s quarters raised to drink the honored toast!

“And a merry Christmas to Captain Mayberry!” called out Dorothy.

Old Abe dropped his cup—­spilled his coffee.  He looked down ruefully at the puddle on the floor.

“Any mo’?” he asked.  It was the first word he had spoken since he entered the house.

Tom refilled the cup.

“Take care of that,” he cautioned Abe.  “It’s about all.”

“What time?” asked the major, addressing Nat.

“Four!  Would you believe it?  It will be daylight soon.”

“Glad of it,” replied the major.  “We can’t leave here any too quickly.  It has cleared, you say?”

“Beautifully,” answered Nat; “and the sun to-morrow will be a ‘ringer’ for the moon to-night.  I’ll bet it will be one of those dazzling days—­”

“Likely,” agreed the major.  “We must take Mayberry back with us,” he said in a low voice.  “Poor old chap!  To think that I should find him—­and in such a pitiable condition!”

CHAPTER XXV

YOUTH AND OLD AGE

When the first streak of dawn threw its shadow upon the fleecy blanket that surrounded the old Mayberry Castle, there stood before the door the Fire Bird and the wagon old Abe called his “carry-all.”