"Yes, that's right, we did," muttered Toby, who was almost as much interested in the matter as Chatz.
"And where could we find a better place for spending those few days than right here in the dense woods close to the Cartaret house? There's everything to be had that the heart of a camper might wish; and if you're a ghost hunter, why, here's a splendid field for your activities."
"Elmer, will you do that much for me?" asked Chatz, earnestly.
"Much more, if the chance ever came along, and you know it, Chatz," replied the scout master, warmly. "So, what do you say, shall we consider that settled, boys?"
All of them held up a hand, which meant that they voted in the affirmative.
"But," interposed the Great Objector, "we mustn't forget that there will be several other fellows of our troop along with us on that little outing; and p'raps they mightn't just fancy camping so close to a mouldy old ruin, where the owls and bats fly around nights, and lots of other unpleasant things are apt to crop up."
"Oh! we know Lil Artha, Ty Collins, and Landy Smith well enough to be able to speak for them, too," Elmer ventured; "and the chances are when they hear what we're aiming to do they'll be as wild as Chatz here to investigate."
"We've got a big job cut out for us, I'm thinking, boys," faltered George.
"Rats! who's afraid? Gimme two cents' worth of peanuts, please!" exclaimed Toby, who seemed to be in an unusually good humor, perhaps because of that successful parachute drop, looked forward to with an admixture of hope and fear for a considerable time.
They passed through every part of the house that seemed worth while, even visiting the attic, where the rain had beaten in so many times, that some of the woodwork seemed very mouldy. They frightened an army of bats up there, and there was a lively ducking of heads, with numerous attempts at knocking the flying creatures down with whatever the boys could lay hands on.