It was about ten o'clock of a summer night that Hubert Flamry and his sister Hulda were returning to their home from an errand to a distant village, where they had been belated. Their path led them quite near to the ruined castle, but they did not trouble themselves at all on this account, for they had often passed it, both by night and day. But to-night they had scarcely caught sight of the venerable structure when Hubert started back, and, seizing his sister's arm, exclaimed:
"Look, Hulda! look! A light in the castle!"
Little Hulda looked quickly in the direction in which her brother was pointing, and, sure enough, there was a light moving about the castle as if some one was inside, carrying a lantern from room to room. The children stopped and stood almost motionless.
"What can it be, Hubert?" whispered Hulda.
"I don't know," said he. "It may be a man, but he could not walk where there are no floors. I'm afraid it's a ghost."
"Would a ghost have to carry a light to see by?" asked Hulda.
"I don't know," said Hubert, trembling in both his knees, "but I think he is coming out."
It did seem as if the individual with the light was about to leave the castle. At one moment he would be seen near one of the lower windows, and then he would pass along on the outside of the walls, and directly Hubert and Hulda both made up their minds that he was coming down the hill.
"Had we better run?" said Hulda.
"No," replied her brother. "Let's hide in the bushes."