Part 17 (1/2)
Approaching it was a man who bore every indication of being a tramp.
”Hold on, fellows,” whispered Fred, excitedly, ”that's the very same tramp I met over in the old Meeker House.”
”Sure about that?” asked George quickly.
”Yes, it's the same man.”
”Come on, then,” said George, ”We'll go up and interview him.”
The tramp now was seated on the stone step and hungrily was devouring the breakfast which had been given him.
”How long since you have been in the old Meeker House?” inquired Fred as he approached the stranger.
As the man looked up he recognized his companion of the former night and a smile spread over his countenance. ”I just came from there,” he said.
”Were you in the house all night?” demanded Fred quickly.
”Yes. Why?”
”Did you hear any strange sounds?”
”Not one.”
”Didn't you see anything that scared you?”
”No, sir, nothing scared me.”
”And you say you were there all night?”
”That's what I say. I crawled in there right after sunset and went to sleep. I told you the other night that I sometimes sleep there in my travels.”
”I don't understand why you didn't hear anything,” said John, ”if you really were in the house. I was there and I heard some things.”
”What?” The tramp paused in his occupation and stared blankly at John as he spoke.
”The same things that happen there every night. There were some creatures flying all around the room-”
”Ostriches,” said the tramp soberly.
”And there must have been a good many people there too because they called me by my name and at the same time from every part of the house.”
”A part of Was.h.i.+ngton's army,” said the tramp.
”I don't know who they were, but the thing that scared me most of all was the tooting of an automobile horn. First it sounded right close to my ear and then it seemed to come from all parts of the house at once.”
”Nothing but the wind whistling around the eaves,” said the tramp. ”I don't mind telling you though that there have been times when I have heard sounds over there that made me think of the horn of an auto-”
”Didn't you hear it last night?” demanded John.