In vain they had tried to check his panting flow of words, but now Dick managed to make his voice heard, speaking quietly and soothingly.
“I’m no ghost, Lynch. I’m here in the flesh. You didn’t drown me. I’m glad to know that you didn’t really try to drown me. I couldn’t think that of you, revengeful as I know you to be. Look here, touch my hand and satisfy yourself that I’m living.”
But when he held out his hand to Lynch the fellow writhed and squirmed and rolled away, shrieking with fear until his lips were covered with froth.
“Great horn spoon!” muttered the Texan. “That gent is pretty near daffy, partner. Never expected to see him go to pieces like that.”
“Keep him away from me!” shrieked Mike. “Don’t let him touch me! Let me go! Help me to my feet!”
It was with the utmost difficulty that they prevented him from rising and taking flight. Indeed he did get upon his feet and stagger out to the road, fighting them all off as they sought to assist him.
A farm wagon, bound for town, came along, drawn by two scraggy horses. On the seat sat a bewhiskered old fellow who regarded the boys with no small curiosity.
“Hey!” he called, pulling up the horses. “What’s the matter with that fellow, anyhaow? Goshfry mighty, he acts as if he was purty nigh crazy! Guess he must have been hittin’ up somebody’s hard cider, hey? Jerusalem! but they do git an awful jag when they fill up on cider. I know haow it is, for I’ve been there myself. The gosh-derned stuff makes ye act like all thutteration. What’s he sayin’ a-yappin’ about spooks and dead folks and things like that? By gum! I guess you fellers better take keer of him. Be you his friends? Waal, you better git him to a doctor jest as soon as you ken. Put him in my waggin? ’Course you ken. Jest ketch right holt and h’ist him aboard. Couple of ye better come along with him to keep him quiet. I’ll only charge ye twenty-five cents apiece to take you clean into the city, and that’s cheap enough, by gum!”
So Lynch was tossed aboard the old farm wagon, and two of the boys clambered in after him. Not until the strip of woods was left far behind did Mike quiet down and become amenable to reason. Even then when they attempted to explain he grew violent and shriekingly forbade them to mention Merriwell’s name.