Page:Young Hunters of the Lake.djvu/263

Rh "Why does he call Giant Guillaume?" whispered Whopper to Snap.

"It's the French for William," answered the leader of the club. "Say, but doesn't this beat the Dutch!"

"If giant can get this uncle of his to go home perhaps they'll be able to get possession of that fortune of one hundred thousand francs," was Shep's comment. "I hope they can get it, for Mrs. Caslette certainly deserves the money and needs it."

Giant continued to talk to the hermit, and gradually the other boys joined in the conversation. The young hunters soon saw that Pierre Dunrot's mind was very hazy on some matters while clear on others. Since running away from the Caslette home he had lived in the mountains near the lake and he had taken every precaution to keep other folks away from him. He had taught his parrots to scare newcomers, and had played ghost by rubbing phosphorus and other shining substances on his clothing and cap. He said he owned several canoes, hidden along the lake shore, and in these he sometimes went fishing, usually at night.

"Well, this solves the mystery of the ghost anyway," said Snap. "Won't folks around Fairview be astonished when they hear of it?"