"We will light a candle, and look around," said Frank.
A candle was lighted, and they looked for the cause of the midnight alarm, but they found nothing that explained the mystery.
"Whist!" hissed the Irish boy. "It's afther gettin' away from here we'd better be, mark me worrud."
"What makes you think that?" demanded Frank, sharply.
"It's spooks there be around this place, ur Oi'm mistaken!"
"Oh, I've heard enough about spooks! It's getting tiresome."
The professor was silent, but he shook his head in a very mysterious manner, as if he thought a great many things he did not care to speak about.
They had been thoroughly awakened, but, after a time, failing to discover what had aroused them, they decided to return to bed.
Five minutes after they lay down, Frank and the professor were brought to their feet by a wild howl and a thud. They rushed out of the bedroom, and nearly fell over Barney, who was lying in the middle of the floor, at least eight feet from the couch.
"What is the matter with you?" cried Frank, astonished.