CHAPTER XX
THE MYSTERY CLEARS
My story, in a way, really ends at this point, for we had no further adventures between the big wide waters and home.
Tired as we were, we experienced a lively thrill at sight of the grain elevator and the other towering landmarks in our home town. A number of people came running to the canal dock when they heard our organ, which we had switched on to triumphantly announce the arrival of the conquering heroes, so to speak.
After all of the very brave things that I had done, it wouldn’t have been displeasing to me if the town band had turned out to welcome me, sort of. I had already made up my mind that I wouldn’t try to keep my name out of the Tutter newspaper.
Dad was one of the first ones to arrive at the dock when we drew up. As can be imagined he got his eyes on my bandaged foot right away. And when I had told him what had happened to [[226]]me, he rushed me up town to Doc Leland’s office, where an X-ray picture was taken of the injured part, to learn if any bones had been broken. An hour later, when Mother was washing hard on my ears, old Doc telephoned to the house that the bones were all right; my foot would be as good as ever, he predicted, in a few days.
Well, I wish you could have seen the amazement pictured in my parents’ faces when I dragged my roll of money out of my pocket and told them the complete story of our exciting adventure.
“A ‘friendly ghost,’ ” Dad laughed, in the conclusion of my recital. “You didn’t think it was a real ghost, did you?”
“Well,” I admitted, sort of sheepish, “I did at the start.”
“There is no such thing as a ghost.”