On this account, then, he had not allowed himself to give even the least thought to such a thing as meeting a ghost. That white figure, to him, must be a man, no matter what motive influenced him to act in this strange way; and before he was done with the affair the scout master hoped to be able to probe the enigma, and find a reasonable answer that would fit the case.
Another turn along on his hands and haunches took him just that much nearer the object of his solicitude. That left only two more to be negotiated before he would have reached the mark he had mentally chosen as the limit of his investigation. After that he must return to inform his friends of his discoveries, so that together they might lay plans looking to the capture of the white mystery.
But boys as well as men often lay splendid plans without taking into account the element of chance that always abounds. Elmer might be doing all he figured on, and yet meet with a cruel disappointment.
He had just drawn back to make the next to last forward hunch, and was in a position where any other movement was an utter impossibility when there sounded a loud and unmistakable sneeze! A draught of air had caught George without warning, and brought this catastrophe about before he could think to try and head it off by rubbing the sides of his nose vigorously, or through any other known agency.
As the sneeze rang out Elmer, knowing what the result must be, attempted to gain his feet, meaning to spring boldly forward; but his awkward position placed a handicap on quick action, so that he wasted several precious seconds trying. When he did finally manage to gain an upright position it was to find that the white figure had vanished as utterly as though the floor had opened and swallowed it up; nor had the scout heard the slightest sound of a footfall.
CHAPTER XIV
TOLD AROUND THE CAMP FIRE
Of course Elmer was disappointed when his carefully laid plans all went by the board, owing to that unfortunate sneeze, just at the worst possible time.