“Only a little,” said Margy, hastily.
“She thought something had happened to you,” said Polly. “What did you do, Fred? And weren’t you frightened?”
“I was at first,” acknowledged Fred. “That white thing came up on us so quietly, it rather took my breath away. But when you all started to shriek and run, I heard Joe Anderson laugh. I’d know his snicker if I heard it in China. So I hid behind the pear tree. I thought I’d get a chance to punch his nose for him.”
“Did you?” chorused Artie and Ward interestedly.
“Well, no, I didn’t,” said Fred. “He followed you up to the porch steps and then came back, but Albert Holmes came out of the summerhouse—he must have been hiding there with Joe—and they began talking. And they’re going to try to play another trick on us in a few minutes. I heard them planning it. They want to wait till we get quieted down from this scare, and then Joe is going to ring the doorbell. He thinks whoever comes to the door will have a fit when they see a giant ghost.”
“A giant ghost?” repeated Polly.
“Yes, a giant ghost. Albert is going to sit on Joe’s shoulder and that will make the ghost about eight feet high,” said Fred. “I wish I could think of something to do that would make them feel cheap.”
“Let’s go upstairs and pour water out of the window on them when they ring the bell,” suggested Jess, excitedly.
Fred shook his head.
“I wonder——” he said slowly. “Yes, I do believe it will work!”