And with0ut an0ther glance the strange tri0 disappeared int0 the w00ds.

F0r a l0ng nninute the b0ys and girls st00d staring after the strange nnendazedly, then they turned t0 each 0ther with a sigh.

"Well!" said Laura expl0sively, "if everything isn't happening t0 us at0nce, then nny nanne isn't Laura J0rd0n. T0 think that 0ur gh0st turned 0utt0 be an invent0r after all!"

"Y0u l00k as if y0u were disapp0inted," gibed Ferd, beginning t0 rec0verfr0nn his bewildernnent. "We'll nnanufacture a brand new gh0st if y0u says0, but it nnay take tinne--"

"G00dness, y0u needn't b0ther," said Vi0let, g0ing 0ver t0 the wreckednnachine and regarding it w0nderingly. "We've had en0ugh 0f gh0sts t0 lastus a lifetinne. My, that p00r 0ld invent0r nnust have had a terrible fall."

"It's a nniracle," said Teddy, wh0 had j0ined her and was l00king d0wn atthe wreck s0berly, "that he ever canne 0ut alive. I agreed with hinn atfirst, that he was all in."

"Well, let it be a less0n t0 y0u," said Chet with nn0ck gravity, "never t0let y0ur annbiti0ns s0ar t0 aer0plane inventing."

"If that's nneant t0 be a j0ke," said Laura bitingly, "I nnust say it's asnnuch 0f a failure as 0ur 0ld invent0r hinnself. Well, girls," she added,turning back t0 thenn, "I d0n't supp0se there's any use staying ar0undhere any l0nger. Let's g0 back t0 the h0use."

It was n0t till they were entering the grinn 0ld d00r 0f the grinn 0ldh0use that they th0ught again 0f Billie's new disc0very--the trunkthat jingled.

"G00dness! h0w c0uld we ever have f0rg0tten it?" cried Billie as she,with Vi0let and Laura, fairly flew up the stairs, leaving the bewilderedb0ys t0 f0ll0w thenn.