Under Canvas; or, The Hunt for the Cartaret Ghost

by Captain Alan Douglas

Meanwhile, there was Elmer hunching his way along the hall toward the moving object in white that had so mystified them. He would raise himself, and push along a foot or so, and then resume his squatting position; but all the while steady progress was being made, and without any noise, however slight.

When he had managed to make out what the nature of the white thing was, Elmer planned to return again to his chums, and if it proved to be simply a human being like themselves, he had a scheme in his mind looking to first cutting off all retreat, and then making a capture, after which perhaps they could learn what all this mummery meant.

Of course Elmer was always conscious of the fact that it would be an unwise act for him to pass out of the line of shadow, and allow the moonlight to fall upon him while making this advance. Fortunately there was sufficient shadow to admit of his passage without taking these chances.

He had already passed over a quarter of the distance separating him from the mystery at the time he started, and everything seemed to be going as well as any one could wish. If he could only keep the good work up a little while longer Elmer believed he would be in a position to judge things for what they were, and not what the fears of the boys had made them appear.

By straining his eyes to the utmost he fancied that he could even now make out what seemed to be the tall figure of a man, who was dressed all in white. His bearing was erect, and he carried himself with the stiffness of a soldier on parade. Yes, this comparison was made even stronger by the fact that he seemed to have something very much like a gun, though it may have been merely a stick, gripped tight, and held as a sentry might his weapon, while pacing back and forth before the tent where his commanding general lay sleeping.

Elmer also stopped to rub his eyes, not that he was doubting what he saw, but the continued strain weakened them, and even brought signs of tears, that made accurate seeing next to impossible.

Well, half a dozen or so more hunches ought to carry him along far enough to enable him to make positive; and he believed he could accomplish it without betraying his presence to the unknown walker, be he human or a ghost.

By this time the scout had drawn so close that he thought it good policy to remain perfectly quiet while the mysterious white object advanced toward him, making all his progress when the other had turned, and was moving away.

The half-dozen contemplated movements had now been reduced to three, and he saw no reason to believe that his presence was known. This spoke well for his work as a scout; it also promised such a thing as success.

Elmer had one thing in his favor, and this was an entire freedom from any belief in things supernatural. While he never boasted, like George, and some of the other scouts liked to do, at the same time he believed that everything claimed as belonging to the realm of spirits could be explained, if only one went about it the right way.