It was morning time, and Tutul abruptly woke up from sleep. 

Tutul gasped and said, “Oh! Baba is that you? I had a nightmare”.

“You are my hero. You mustn’t be scared of anything”, told Bose and patted Tutul. 

Tutul muttered sarcastically, “Of course, I am not scared of ghosts.”

Tutul and Boltu were having their breakfast when Boltu said “Tutul, Do you believe in Mausi’s rumors? Do you think ghosts are real?”.

Tutul looked here and there, pretending to focus on his breakfast plate.

Tutul and Boltu were on their way to the Maidan for a cricket match when they stopped by to listen to people talking.

One person said, “This ghost is eating up food, what if it gulps our children and animals?”

Another cried, “The ghost ate all my dhoklas”

Then another said, “He also ate a basket of mangoes that I had saved to sell in the market.”

And the other said, “You won’t believe, he ate my baby goat, Mutki” 

Everyone was in awe.

Terror-stricken Tutul thought “What if the ghost eats me up.” 

“Tutul, is there a ghost in Aamnagar?”, asked Boltu.

Tutul walked straight to Maidan as if he didn’t bother. They played cricket with the Nagar kids till sunset when Boltu said, “It’s evening, Baba would be home anytime. Let’s go back home Tutul”. 

While returning home, they stopped by Mausi’s pav bhaji stall to eat pav bhaji. Boltu and Tutul love Mausi’s pav bhaji.

So yummy said Tutul and burped “burp”

“Mausi! Pack one for Baba”, said Boltu and licked his fingers.

They reached home when suddenly the phone rang. Boltu ran to answer.

 “Hello.., okay Baba”, Boltu talked over the phone.

“Baba has gone to the town for his work. He will come tomorrow”, said Boltu. 

Hearing that Baba wouldn’t return home, Tutul got more scared. And they both turned to bed to sleep.

“Good night”, said Boltu and yawned.

Boltu was soon asleep but Tutul was restless, and his heart was pounding. Tutul was trying very hard to sleep when a dog howled.

“Awooooo…..”[Dogs howling]

“Whoosh…” [wind blowing]

Doors were creaking, and rattling noises from the kitchen were coming.

Tutul snapped out of sleep and screamed “Ghost... Ghost.., somebody please save me!”

Boltu on the other side was in a deep sleep and snored, “Zzzzzz..”

Soon after, the noise in the kitchen stopped. Tutul walked quietly to sneak around. 

There was no one around. 

“Phewww, the ghost is gone”, muttered Tutul. 

Tutul noticed there were a pair of broken slippers near the door. Tutul grinned and turned off the lights. After which, quiet footsteps walked in to grab the pair of slippers

Tutul turned on the lights and asked “Did you forget your slippers?”

The pale-faced boy who had wrapped himself in a piece of white cloth looked at Tutul with regret and shame. He broke down into tears and said, “I am not a ghost, I am Bablu, from the neighboring village. I steal food for my sick mother and little sister”.

“You are old enough to earn your bread”, told Tutul.

“I do. I work for Banke in his mango orchard but he is so cruel that he doesn’t pay my daily wage”, said Bablu.

“Why did you steal Mutki, the baby goat?”, Asked Tutul

“My sister, Gudiya loves to play with baby goats, so I stole Mutki. Mutki is very happy with Gudiya at my place.”, said Bablu. “I know it’s Inspector Bose’s house. I saw Bose Babu leaving Aamnagar, and that's when I planned to enter the house. Please don’t send me to jail”, pleaded Bablu. 

“Only if you promise not to steal ever again. Aamnagar people are kind-hearted, they shelter everyone who is in need. Bring your family and settle in Aamnagar. Earn and live happily”, said Tutul. 

. Bablu thanked and hugged Tutul with happiness.