"Then what sayest thou—and what would our father say—to that?" muttered Tonie under his breath, as from behind a huge rock there came in sight a strange, shapeless white as the snow around.
For a moment it stood motionless; then, with a doleful, unearthly cry, it vanished as suddenly as though the rock had opened and swallowed it up.
For some minutes the children waited to see if the ghost re-appeared, but their waiting was in vain, and presently they turned homeward, too full of their adventure to care to prolong their skating expedition.
They were, however, scarcely half-way back to the shore, when they met two men muffled up in sheep-skin coats, and wearing huge felt boots, which prevented their slipping on the ice.
"Dorlat and Hervitz Valden," said Tonie, when they had passed.
"Yes; I wonder what brings them out here!" answered Blonda. "Thinkest thou, Tonie, that they are going to brave the ghost of the island—or the thing that pretends to be a ghost—and to make a search for the treasure?"
"How can I tell, Blonda? But one thing I know, little sister, whether a ghost be a dangerous neighbour or no, Dorlat and Hervitz Valden are dangerous enough, as we know by experience. I glanced over my shoulder but now, and saw those evil brothers standing and looking after us. Come, let us get home!"
Once more taking hands, the children glided swiftly away, and when they next looked back, Dorlat and Hervitz were nowhere to be seen, and the whole wide expanse of frozen water lay bathed in moonlight, save only where the Isle of Ghosts cast a black shadow, its tall, jagged peaks seeming to form upon the clear ice the long fingers of a giant hand, feeling about for something to clutch and to destroy.
