"Find any signs of Nat?" asked one.
"Hope the plagued old ghost didn't get him," another ventured.
"Tell us all about it, Elmer?" asked the third member of the little bunch.
But the scout leader instead raised the bugle to his lips and sounded the assembly call.
Voices were heard, and immediately the others came hurrying to the spot. Landy was the last to arrive, and he came up puffing and blowing as though he might have been at some little distance when he heard the summons for gathering.
"Listen!" said Elmer, raising his hand, and immediately the confused chattering of many boyish tongues ceased.
This enabled them to hear distant shouts from the southeast, as though newcomers might be approaching the mill over about the same course as that they had pursued.
"Mark Cummings and the last detachment!" declared Matty.
"Hurrah! six more good fellows to do battle with the outlaws of the haunted mill!" exclaimed Red; at which some of the others gasped in astonishment, and exchanged uneasy glances.
"Better wait till they all get here, boys," said Elmer, "and then I'll tell you what we've found out, also what we suspect."