“Yes, I guess it is more pleasant inside,” agreed Jerry. “Did you see anything of your toad, Professor?”
“No, not a thing, but I got several other valuable specimens, so my evening was not wasted. I guess I’ll go in with you.”
“What do you think those queer shapes were?” asked Jerry of the scientist, when they were once more in the cabin.
“Well, it would be hard to say,” spoke Professor Snodgrass. “Of course none of us believe in ghosts, and yet there are queer manifestations, sometimes, that even science cannot satisfactorily explain. My honest belief is that this was some effect of the fog, or night vapors arising out of the damp ground.”
“But they looked—er—just like men wrapped in sheets,” spoke Bob with a shudder.
“Yes, I dare say they did. And, if you tried hard enough you could imagine almost anything. Probably it will be easy to explain. To-morrow we will look at the place whence they seemed to arise from the ground. It may be that there is a hot spring there, and that the ‘ghosts’ were only wisps of steam vapor.”
With this explanation the boys contented themselves, and they were soon in bed. Nor did they sleep any the less soundly because of the queer manifestation. For they were sensible and healthy lads, and it took more than a so-called “ghost” to disturb their rest.
In the morning, accompanied by the professor, they made a careful examination of the place where the queer wraiths had been seen, but it afforded them no clew. The ground seemed no different from that in other spots on the island.
“Well, there’s no use bothering over that any longer,” suggested Jerry, after a bit. “We can try and solve that problem later; maybe to-night. What I think we’d better do now is to explore the island, and see if we can find any of that radium. What do you think, Professor?”