“Indeed it would! But suppose we go down to the shack and see what kind of people live there. There may be something to eat in it!”
“If I had your appetite,” Case grumbled, “I’d go somewhere and run a restaurant! You’re either hungry or sleepy all the time!”
The lads laughed at the idea of Alex owning a restaurant, and scrambled down the slope to the level dump where the shack stood.
Smoke was still coming from the chimney. The windows had been covered with boards, securely nailed on, and the boys found the doors locked when they, after knocking, tried to enter. Circling around the shack, which was of good dimensions, they finally discovered a small door which was unfastened, and through this they entered.
They passed, with their electric lights on, through what must at one time have been a storeroom, came out in an old kitchen, passed on to a sitting room, which faced the front of the shack, and stopped to listen.
The smothered breathing of a dog came from an adjoining room, and they hastened to open the door. Captain Joe was tied up with a chain to a hook in the wall, the chain so short that he could not move more than a few inches. His head was covered with a heavy burlap bag, which was tied tightly around his neck.
When released and caressed, the dog appeared to be dazed, and the boys saw at once that he had been doped with some stupefying drug. This undoubtedly accounted for his being in captivity. In his usual health the dog would have made the tying of him up a difficult and dangerous proceeding. After a time Captain Joe lay down and rubbed the sides of his head with his paws, as if he had a very bad headache!
In the room where the dog was there was a bed, rumpled and dirty, and a couple of chairs. Under the bed was a pair of heavy boots, and Alex whispered to his chum as he looked at them.
“Big boots,” he said, “and the taps have been worn so that the nails protrude. Our ghost wore them, all right.”
Case went to a closet and began rummaging about. Presently he came out with a couple of milk-white sheets and a couple of black bags with eye and nose holes in them.