“I admit being out of camp without leave, but refuse to acknowledge stampeding the horses or having been in any way responsible for their breaking loose. I did threaten to thrash Mr. Rowen because he insisted that I was deliberately lying when I informed him that a figure clothed entirely in white slapped the horses and started them on their stampede,” reported Jim. There was a stir of eager interest from the cadets.
“A figure in white?” said the colonel, sharply. “What was that, Captain Mercer?”
“I do not know, sir,” replied Jim. “I challenged him sharply and at the sound of my voice he slapped the horses on the flanks, starting them on their break.”
“Captain Mercer says he called out to the figure in white,” said the colonel, turning to Rowen. “Did you hear him call, Mr. Rowen?”
“I did not, sir,” answered the sentry. “Colonel Morrell, Captain Mercer did not call out!”
“Limit your statement to the fact that you did not hear him, Mr. Rowen,” advised the colonel. Rowen flushed and trembled with rage.
“And you really saw a white shape at the horses, Captain Mercer? This talk of ghosts has not influenced you any, has it?”
“Not a bit, sir,” affirmed Jim, gravely. “I distinctly heard the sharp sounds of his slaps and as I started for him he glided into the woods close at hand.”
“Did you see anything, Mr. Rowen?” the colonel asked.
“The only thing I saw was Mr. Mercer standing there, watching the horses tear across the camp, sir,” answered Rowen.