“Why, what is going on there?” inquired Fred. “The house seemed to me to be deserted. Does any one live there?”
“No, suh. No, suh, no one lives dar. Leastwise, no one live dar in the daytime.”
“Who lives there at night?” inquired Fred.
Once more the negro was silent and it was evident that the boy’s question had aroused certain feelings in the heart of Uncle Sim.
“Yo’ all better take my advice,” said the old negro, shaking his head in a still more solemn manner. “Yo’ better keep away from de Meeker House.”
“Why?” inquired John.
“No good comes to anybody dat goes to the Meeker House in the night time.”
“But how do you know, Uncle Sim? You say you have never been there?”
“Yo’ all keep away from dar. Min’ what I tell you. Don’t none o’ you’ boys go near dat old Meeker House after sundown.”
“But you make us want to go all the more,” said Grant.