CHAPTER XIII
A STRANGE FIGURE IN WHITE
"Oh!"
After all it was George, boasting George, who gasped this one word in Elmer's ear; and the scout master knew then whose trembling hand had clutched his sleeve.
But if several of the others refrained from giving vent to their agitated feelings about that time, it was only because they had lost their breath completely.
All of them were staring as hard as they could at the strange white object that kept creeping, creeping along through the brush. Not the slightest sound did it appear to make, and that added to the weirdness of it all. They must just then have had flash into their brains all they had ever read or heard about the wonderful manner in which ghosts and hobgoblins are able to advance or retreat, without betraying their presence by even the least rustling.
Then all at once there broke out the sharp, furious barking of a dog. Every scout reeled back as though struck a blow. At the same moment they saw the white object whirl around, and rush away through the brush; and now they could plainly detect the rapid patter of canine feet.
"It was only a stray farmer's dog after all!" exclaimed Lil Artha, with a sigh of absolute relief.
"Yes," added Toby, "and when he barked up at us he was scared at the sound he made himself, so that he lit out as though he had a tin pan tied to his tail. But I own up I was shivering to beat the band, for I sure thought it must be that Cartaret thing they say hangs out here. Whew!"