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234 "But why should he come to us with that story of his?" questioned Giant.

"He told us that just to scare us. He thought we might go away from the lake at once."

Again there was a lively discussion, and the young hunters agreed that, if the ghost was indeed a man, more than likely it was Peterson.

"A fellow who would play such a trick ought to be tarred and feathered," was Whopper's comment.

"If it proves to be Peterson we'll have him driven out of this neighborhood fast enough," said Snap.

Another hour went by, and as the ghost did not reappear the young hunters grew heavy-eyed, and one after another took a short nap. Thus the night passed, and at last the sun showed itself over the mountain top to the eastward, heralding another day.

With the coming of sunlight the boys were inclined to treat the coming of the ghost as a joke. They could not explain the ghostly voice, however, although Snap said he imagined the man playing ghost might be a ventriloquist.

"Some of those ventriloquists are very clever," he asserted, "and they can throw their voices almost anywhere."