We spent the morning wading into the river and hauling out rocks.  Large rocks.  Large smooth rocks that are hard to grip.

          Tess and I did not talk about what we had seen the night before, but I couldn’t think of anything else.

          I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I must have jumped six feet when Tess screamed and fell back into the water.

          “What?”  I said startled, sloshing to her side.

          She stood up not a bit upset about being all wet.

          “Look!” Tess pointed to the spot where her rock had been.  There were more bones laid out exactly like the ones under the trees.  Only these were under water. 

          Something in the bushes by the quads moved.  I turned and caught Miles’ eye.

          “We have company,” I said.

          Tess looked over.  “Hi Sarah,” she called.

          “Shh,” I said but it was too late.

          “Are you ok?”  Sarah asked Tess.  “We heard you scream.”

          “Just a little wet.” Tess said.

          Luke waded in the stream to see what we had been hovered over.  His face turned whiter than it had previously been.

          “More bones,” I said.

          “I want to hear more about the ghosts,” Tess directed her statement at Sarah.

          “Nothing really to say,” Sarah said softly – after Miles gave her the evil eye.

          Tess was not about to let it go.  “So where this ghost live?”  She pretty much demanded.

          Luke looked at Sarah again.

          “If there is a ghost,” Tess said, “it has to live somewhere.”

          Little Luke made a cross out of his hands.  Tess spun towards him – so did Miles.  Luke quickly dropped his hands and lowered his head.

          “The cemetery?” Tess asked.

          Luke didn’t say anything.

          Tess’ eyes lit up.  She had discovered it.  “The cave in the “no trespassing” part of the cemetery.”

          Luke’s eyes quickly gave him away.

          “Perfect,” Tess said.  She looked at me.  “Where else but the cave?”

          Luke looked as if he was going to cry.  He ran and hid behind his sister.  “I didn’t mean to tell,” he cried.

          “It’s ok,” Sarah said.  She turned to Tess and me.  “The ghost is ancient.  No one has ever seen him…in or out of the cave.  Only…”

          “Sarah,” Miles said sharply, “I don’t think we should be talking about this.”

          “Why?” Sarah said defiantly.  “They live here.  They have the right to know.”

          “But they don’t believe in ghosts.  They said so themselves.  So let it go.”  Miles insisted.

          “Change my mind.” Tess said.

          I sighed and wondered how long this was going to go on.

          “Are you positive there is a ghost?”  Tess asked.  “Have you actually seen it?”

          Luke wiped his nose and took a long sniff. “The ghost only comes under the full moon,” he said.

          “That’s just a rumor.” Sarah said.  “He’s been in the cave for hundreds of years.”

          “So how do you know he’s in the cave?” I asked.  “How do you know he is in the cave of that he even exists if you’ve never seen him?”

          “You can see a flickering light,” Luke whispered.

          “A light!”  I laughed.  “Come on! That could be a flashlight or a reflection.”  I said.

          “Or old Mr. Potter with his miner’s hat,” I added.

          “No, it’s different,” Sarah said.

          “It’s going to take more than a flickering light and dead dog bones to convince me to believe in ghosts,” I said.

          “Good,” Miles said.  “Then let it go.”

          He turned to walk away.  Luke and Sarah followed him.

          “Have fun guys…oh, and good luck.”  Miles said as he walked away.

          “What’s that supposed to mean?”  Tess asked.

          “Who knows?  That guy is whacked!  Can’t you see he’s just trying to scare us?”   I said.

          “I don’t know.”  Tess said.

          “It’s just another one of their dumb jokes,” I insisted.

          Tess shook her head.  “I don’t think so.  Luke seemed like it really scared him.”

          “Luke is like six,” I said.  “His shadow probably scares him.”

          Tess shivered.  “I’m wet and cold.”  She got out of the river and looked around the quads.  “Have you seen my sweatshirt?”

          “Isn’t it on the seat?” I asked.

          “No,” she said, “I’m sure I grabbed one.”

          “I thought you did too,” I said.  “Oh well, grab mine.”

          A light flickered in the distance.  It went undetected.