At that moment, the colored man, with a cry of fear, made a jump, knocking over and extinguishing the lantern while he shouted:
“De ghost! De ghost! I’s a daid darkey! I’s done seen a h’ant! Oh, lawzy, lawzy! De ghost am after me!”
CHAPTER XVIII
TWO DISAPPEARANCES
Despite the fact that he was tired, upset in his mind and that his head was beginning to ache again, Tom Swift could not help laughing at the fright shown by Eradicate as the colored man made the best time possible away from the “ghost.”
“Come back here, Rad! Come back! Nothing’s going to hurt you!” cried Tom, running down toward the upset lantern. “I’m no ghost!”
Hearing his master’s voice, the colored man halted. Still not altogether convinced, he stood looking back and ready to run, as he asked:
“Am dat—am dat you, Massa Tom?”
“Of course it is, Rad! Who else would it be? I came out of the old cistern.”
“Oh, den you’s daid! You shore am daid an’ it’s yo’ h’ant I sees!”
Eradicate would have run away again, but Tom called more sternly: