Billy B. and Chet and and the rest of the Lost in Space Gang were hyped about October arriving in just 3 days. A new family had just moved in down the street and one of the first things that the mom did was to put up a Fall Welcome Banner and some Halloween decorations. It appeared that they had some kids that were the age of the LISG…and Chet was going to ask them if they wanted to join the Gang…as a way of welcome to the neighborhood. Chet was the captain of the crew as he had the Robot costume from the prime time TV series, Lost in Space. The Gang was scheduled to go on a Ghost Walk on October 1st. They were going to investigate the claims of ghost sightings in a big house on Illinois Avenue in Eldorado. No one had lived in the old mansion for many years and some of the windows were broken out. Billy B.’s mom had just put out on the coffee table… their’ figurines of a classic witch called Witch Hazel, and a horseman carrying his pumpkin head under his arm…in the spirit of the famous Washington Irving short story of, Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman. There was also a Wizard called The Wiz…to make up the trinity.

It was especially chilly…or indeed cold on the October 1 Friday night. Jane’s mom had sent along little thermos’s of Hot Apple Cider for each member of the Gang…who had become a cadre of explorers. Jeff had brought a large magnifying glass that he said his father used in his business. The new kid, Daryl, had an english accent…not a pretend accent…a real accent! He was quite friendly and glad to be a part of the group. He had been born in America but had lived most of his life in Bath, England. Daryl told us that he was used to celebrating Guy Fawkes Day on November 5th…but he said that Halloween seemed, ‘Ever so much more exciting!’

There it was…the Ghost House…and the wind whistled through the broken window glass. Daryl pushed lightly on the front door and it swung open with a screech. With each of their torches on…or as we say flashlights…they could see and old couch and arm chair. Along one wall of the front room was a large fireplace with hot coals shining in the grate…and the smell of smoke in the air. Chet said that he believed that someone was either still in the house or had been there recently. Chet could be relied upon to be practical in his assessments. He was a friend of few words…and he meant them all. A wizened voice called out from the upstairs…’Who is in my house?’ Jeff dropped his father’s giant magnifying glass. Jane said that it was time for a cider break. Down the stairs floated a woman dressed as a witch and Jane offered her a cup of warm cider. She not only took it joyfully but then began to ask each of the children’s names. She went on to state that she and her husband had lived in the House many years ago and that they liked to return for a visit during October. Billy B. asked if anyone else heard soft music playing? Daryl said that he did and that everyone should look at what he was watching that was coming down the road. Before the Gang’s bugged eyes was a boy playing a ukulele while riding a bicycle…with his head bouncing around in the basket of the bike…

‘Oh that is Egbert coming back from the school,’ said the woman with the look and apparel of a witch. I asked him to ride his bicycle down to see if his father was done grading papers. He is the 3rd grade teacher. About that time the lights came on…and there was an elfin man with a pointy hat and a wide grin. ‘Daryl my boy…is this the nice group of your classmates that you were telling me about?’ ‘Yes Father…but I did not want to reveal the secret before you performed a couple of your magic tricks for them,’ said Daryl. ‘Oh my my my…I have mused up the fun again, said Daryl’s dad…my name is Job…but you can call me…The Wiz…’