“Goodness, any one would think they were going to stay a month,” said Mollie in dismay.

“No, we won’t stay a month,” Will went on.  “But we are going to stay until we find out what it is that has been bothering you girls.  Do you suppose we would leave you unprotected here?  I should say not!” Grace noticed that when he said this his glance was first for Amy, and, afterward, for her.

So it was settled.  Mrs. Irving went inside to see about getting lunch.  “Though how the boys can find any room for lunch after eating all those sandwiches, I don’t know,” Amy had commented wonderingly.

Mrs. Irving had refused absolutely to let any of the girls even so much as help with this lunch, saying they must stay outside and visit with the boys on this momentous occasion.

“Since you are convinced that this thing is not a ghost,” Will went on, while appetizing odors began to waft toward them from the open kitchen windows, “we will take it for granted that it is a man, and a man who has, presumably, lost his mind.”

“A crazy man,” murmured Betty.  “Worse and worse—­ and more of it.”

“Girls,” cried Amy, jumping suddenly to her feet, “I have an idea.”

“Impossible!” drawled Grace.

“Why,” went on Amy, unheeding Grace’s remark and growing visibly more excited as she talked, “you know, Professor Dempsey went crazy—­ or at least we supposed he did—­ and ran away into the woods.  Now since Will thinks this man is crazy too, why, they may be one and the same

“Amy!” cried Mollie, her eyes beginning to shine as she realized the possibility of what the girl had said.  “You are a wonder, child!  Why didn’t any of us think of that before?”

“Because it is rather far-fetched and absurd, I suppose,” said Grace, the suggestion of a sneer in her voice bringing a quick flush to Amy’s face.

“I don’t see that it is so far-fetched—­ or absurd either,” Betty broke in quietly.  “Remember, we are only a little over fifty miles from the place where Professor Dempsey had his cottage, and it would be easy for him to wander this far.”

Here Frank broke in on behalf of the very much mystified boys.

“Before you stage the hair-pulling contest,” he said, “would you mind telling us poor benighted males what it is all about?”

So the girls told them all about Professor Dempsey, and while they talked the boys became more and more excited.  Finally Will could keep quiet no longer.

“Say,” he asked, leaning forward, “did the two sons of the cracked old professor happen to bear the names of James and Arnold?”

The girls gaped at him, “Yes,” they breathed.  “How did you know?”

“Because,” said Will, “those very same fellows were in our regiment.  In fact, I was beside Arnold when he was wounded in that last engagement.  Strange thing that James was wounded at the same time.”

“Wounded?” repeated Betty, who like all the girls was feeling rather dazed at this new development.  “Then they weren’t killed?”