“Probably some old hermit, like Don’s uncle,” Case ventured.
“Yes, probably; still, it may be the headless ghost! What do you make of that ghost business, anyway?” the boy added.
“I think it is easy enough to solve that puzzle,” Case replied. “Some man rode a horse down that shelf. Both were sheathed in white except their heads, which were wrapped in black. When they reached the end of the shelf the white garments, or blankets, or whatever they were, were tossed down the precipice. Then the black-clad horse and man went softly up the shelf again. There you have the solution according to Sherlock Holmes’ methods! Now, who is it that is playing ghost, and why is he doing it? That’s the question now.”
“But we went to the bottom of the precipice and found nothing white there. How do you account for that, wise one?”
“But we found footprints, didn’t we? That shows that there was some one there to-night, doesn’t it? And we found tracks showing that Captain Joe had been seized, muzzled, and dragged along, didn’t we? No ghost would do that! Circumstantial evidence is good in this case, but it wouldn’t convict the ghost of falling over the ledge or of stealing the dog, because, you see, there is proof that some other person had a chance to do these same things! Do you understand me?”
“All right, figure it out to suit yourself,” Alex agreed. “Perhaps you’ll be able, after a time, to reason out the purposes and personality of this false-alarm ghost, and to release the dog by induction!”
“I half believe you think there is a ghost here,” Case argued, half provoked at the mental attitude of the other. “Don’t you, now?”
“I certainly do not,” was the answer. “What I object to is your lofty, cocksure manner of accounting for everything. Here you go ahead and explain the events of the night as if you had seen every move made. But you may be right! Really, I half believe you are, and I’m sorry I didn’t beat you to it by figuring the thing out for myself!”
“Well, then, as we agree on the ghost matter, suppose we go down to the house and see who is there? Perhaps the occupant of the shack will invite us to eat! I’m hungry as a wolf, and then some.”
As the boys were about to descend to the level space in front of the old mine bore, Case caught Alex by the arm and pointed to the opposite wall of the canyon, some distance away. There was excitement in the boy’s tone and manner as he said: