rather a pale effort to tell the truth, but a smile nevertheless. "Now what is the next thing to do?"
"If we had only brought something to eat," sighed Grace. "And our chocolate outfit!" for they carried one, with a small alcohol stove, that they might make a hot drink when they stopped at noon for luncheon.
"No use crying over missing chocolate," said Mollie. "We're here, under shelter, anyhow; and we can keep dry. Now if we can find anyone at home we'll beg their hospitality for the night. Maybe they can get us a meal—if we pay for it."
"There's no one living in this house—I'm sure of that!" declared Amy. "Smell the musty odor—and—see" she pushed open a door leading from the hall, and directed Betty's hand so that the lantern flashed inside. The room was bare and empty. "No one at all," she insisted. "The house is deserted."
"Well, so much the better," declared Grace. "That is, if there are no—no" she did not finish, but looked around rather apprehensively.
"Ghosts—say it!" commanded Betty, sharply. "The oftener you use the word the less it will frighten you."
"Look here!" exclaimed Mollie. "I don't
