The boys groaned more weirdly than before.
“What is it—cats?” the conspirators in their place of hiding heard some one from within the hut ask old Joffy. They recognized Noddy Nixon’s voice.
“I never knowed cats to be around here,” replied the man as he stepped from his cabin. He looked all about, and, of course, could see nothing. Then he gazed up.
No sooner had he done so than he let out a frightened yell, which drowned the noise of the groans.
“Look! See!” shouted Joffy, pointing upward. “It’s a ghost! It’s a ghost in the air over my cabin! It’s come to haunt me! I’m a dead man! This is a warnin’ to me! My days are numbered! [Oh! the ghost! the ghost!]”
[“OH! THE GHOST, THE GHOST!” SHOUTED JOFFY.]
Jerry gave the kite cord a yank, and the phosphorous-covered figure swayed weirdly high in the air.
“Oh, he’s comin’ after me!” screamed Joffy. “He’s comin’ to git me! Save me, Noddy, save me!”
Hardly able to keep up their groaning because of their laughter, the boys saw Noddy rush to the door. He looked up to where Joffy pointed, and he too saw the ghostly figure.