"The carriage should be here any minute now." Greta ran to the window again to look down the road.

"The carriage!" said Anna in surprise. "Are we going to Vosborg in a carriage, Greta?"

"Yes. Mr. Christianson is sending his carriage for us. He doesn't like automobiles, so he still keeps the old coach that has belonged to the castle for a hundred years."

"There it is now, Greta," said Hans, who was just as eager to visit the castle as Greta and Anna were.

Soon they were all on their way to Vosborg. Although it stood on a hill, you could hardly see the castle itself, because of the trees all around it. After a short ride they reached the castle's outer wall and drove through the wide entrance, with its high tower that formed an archway. There was a long stretch of level ground inside the wall, before one came to the stone bridge over the moat. The moat was a wide, deep ditch filled with water, which ran all the way around the castle. In the olden days it was an important protection, for enemies could not cross it and thus could not reach the castle buildings. Inside the moat there was a rampart, or a high ridge of earth, which was also a protection to the castle. Then there was still another wall before one finally reached the castle itself.

"There has been a castle on this spot for hundreds of years," Greta's mother told the children as they rode along in the old coach. "This building is only four hundred years old, so you see that it is rather new! The castle that stood here before was destroyed in 1532."

"Mother, tell Anna about the Englishman who built the tower of Vosborg Castle," urged Hans.

"All right, Hans," said his mother. "A long, long time ago, when the first castle was being built, the owner decided that he wanted a tower on his castle that would be finer than that of any other castle in Denmark. He hunted the country over, but he couldn't find anyone who could build such a grand tower. Finally he heard of a man in England who could do this. So he sent for this man and told him to build a tower on Vosborg that would be the finest in the land. The Englishman solemnly promised that he would do so.

"It took him three full years to build the tower, for he was determined to make it the finest in all Denmark. And it was. When it was done he went to the owner of Vosborg and asked if he were satisfied. The owner was well pleased, and he paid the builder a large sum of money. Long before this, however, he had decided that he would test the builder and the honesty of his work. So after the Englishman had left the castle and was walking down the road, a servant from Vosborg came running after him, shouting, 'The tower is leaning.'

"This was to be the test of his work. If he turned around to look at the tower, the owner of the castle would know that the builder was not sure of his own work. If there were even the smallest doubt in his mind, he would be certain to look around at once. But the English builder was very sure that his work was well done. Not once did he look back. Not for a minute did he pause in his journey. But as he walked on, he said to the servant from Vosborg, 'The tower does not lean. Tell your master that I have done my work well; he did not spend his money in vain. He has the finest tower in all Denmark. But also tell him that one day Vosborg will be destroyed by a man in a blue coat.'

"The servant told his master. Fear and astonishment ran through the castle like a flame. Who was the mysterious man in the blue coat who would one day destroy the castle? No one knew. No one could even guess. The owner of Vosborg was well liked by all the people. Surely no one would do him harm. The years went by and the castle remained unharmed. Gradually everyone forgot about the prophecy of the English builder. The man in the blue coat was no longer feared.

"Then one year there was a dreadful storm on the ocean. Never before had the people seen such an angry sea. The waves dashed and pounded against the shore as they had never done before. The water rose like a wall and spread over the land for many miles. No one had ever seen a storm like this one. The water pounded against the outer wall of Vosborg. It crumbled and fell. Within a few hours the ocean had rushed in and washed away the rampart around the castle. There was then just one wall left as a protection against the angry sea. It wasn't enough. On the second day of the storm the waves became even more fierce and violent. Finally, that wall crumbled and the whole castle of Vosborg was knocked down by the force of the waves.

"Thus the prophecy, told many years before, had at last come true. The English builder had spoken truly. Vosborg was, as he had predicted, destroyed by a man in a blue coat—the ocean."

"But I thought the ocean was several miles away," said Anna in surprise.

"It is now, Anna, but in those days it was very near. Every few hundred years the shore line changes, due to the rising or falling of the land. So Vosborg is now a mile or more from the ocean."

By this time they had reached the courtyard of the castle. The paving stones that covered the ground had long ago been worn to a smooth, polished roundness. On three sides of the courtyard there were low, white buildings. One of these contained the servants' quarters and the kitchens. Another contained the huge library of the castle. The third was made up of the stables. On the fourth side of the courtyard stood the imposing, four-story building that made up the main part of the castle. In the center of the courtyard there was a lovely, round pool.

"Oh, Greta, it's beautiful," said the delighted Anna, as she looked all around her.

Dinner was served in the Knights' Hall, a long, stately room on the second floor. Tall candles lighted the banquet table and threw flickering shadows in the far corners of the room and against the high ceiling. The walls were covered with brilliant paintings of the knights and ladies who had lived at Vosborg in olden days. Now and then, as the candlelight caught the gleam of a bright red waistcoat or the silken beauty of a lady's satin gown, Greta turned suddenly to look at the portraits. Once she thought that one of the great ladies of long ago was smiling at her. But when she looked again, the lovely face showed only the calm, quiet beauty of a painting. Had she really smiled? Greta could not be sure.

After dinner Mr. Christianson showed them the room that King Frederick had used when he visited Vosborg Castle many years ago.

"This room used to be the chapel," explained Mr. Christianson, "but it had to be changed for a very amusing reason. The owner of the castle used to put his turkeys to roost in the chapel and even left them there on Sunday. When the minister began to preach, all the turkeys babbled in answer. Of course the whole church service was upset and the minister couldn't go on. He refused to preach at Vosborg any more. When the king heard what had happened, he said that there would be no more chapel services at this castle. So the chapel was changed into a bedroom. Many years later a tiny chapel was built outside the castle wall. It is a lovely, quiet place of worship. The inside walls are lined with moss, and the outer walls are covered with thatch. It is really a little temple in the woods."

"Could we see it, Mr. Christianson?" asked Anna, as they were going back to the drawing-room.

"I'm afraid it's too dark out there now. But I should be delighted to show it to you if you care to come again, during the daytime."

"Oh, I'd love to. Thank you so—Oh, what's that noise?" Anna looked at Greta, whose face had turned white. She, too, had heard a most unusual sound.

"I didn't hear any noise," said Mr. Christianson.

"It sounded like heavy wooden wheels," said Greta, who looked quite scared.

"It couldn't be that, Greta," said Hans. "No one has come into the courtyard."

"But I heard them inside the castle," insisted Greta.

"Oh, of course. I had forgotten." Then Mr. Christianson explained. "A long time ago, when this castle was first built, the entrance to the courtyard was in the center of this building, instead of at the side, as it is now. In fact, this drawing-room was built where the entrance used to be. Up to the very day of his death, the old coachman never approved of this change. So every evening, about this time, he drives his coach and four over the old road and through the old entrance. He has to come right through this room and that is why you always hear him."

The two girls looked at Mr. Christianson in wonder.

"You mean his ghost drives through here every evening?" asked Greta.

"Yes, Greta."

"But I didn't think there were any real ghosts," said Anna.

"I don't know, my dear. No one has ever seen him, but you yourself heard the rumble of the wooden wheels of the coach just now."

"I certainly heard something," admitted Anna.

"What else could it be?" asked Hans, who was delighted to hear Anna admit even this much.

On the way home from Vosborg, Anna was very quiet. Finally she just had to ask, "Tante Agnes, do you think that was the old coach that we heard tonight?"

Her aunt smiled. "I don't know, Anna. I think you had better go to Vosborg again in the daytime. Then you can find out for yourself whether or not it has any ghosts."