“Sergeant Erskine told me something about Fool’s Castle,” broke in Bob. “In which direction is it?”
“Fool’s Castle!” echoed Tom Clifton. “What in thunder is that?”
CHAPTER VI
BILLY ASHE
“It’s an old deserted ranch-house,” explained Ashe, “close to a ridge of hills. A good many years ago a man named Walt Allen and his two sons built it. He was a man with plenty of money—had traveled all over the continent, and picked up a whole lot of queer ideas—at least everybody around here thought so.”
“What like?” asked Dave, interestedly.
“Oh, artistic. Wanted style to his ranch-house, he said; and, would you believe it, he stuck up a lot of columns in front of the door. They make you think of an entrance to some old Greek temple.”
“He must have been odd,” murmured Larry Burnham.
“Yes,” added Thunderbolt. “Cost much money. No good. Peoples laugh.”
“Ah, much laugh!” supplemented Wandering Bear, slowly nodding his head.
“A man often has to pay a big price for being a little out of the ordinary,” sighed Dave Brandon. “What else did Mr. Allen do to make people give his place such a curious name?”