“But that’s what we came for. We’re to investigate, you know.”
“Well, then promise you won’t try it until after I do.”
“Trickster! And if you never try it, I can’t!”
“You see through me too well. But, at least, promise this. If you try it, don’t go alone. Say, you and Miss Carnforth go together——”
“Hello, people,” and Vernie ran round a corner, followed more slowly by Tracy. “We’ve had a great little old climb! Hundreds of thousands of feet up the mounting side,—wasn’t it, Mr. Tracy?”
“Thar or tharabouts,” agreed Tracy, smiling at the pretty child.
“And Mr. Tracy is the delightfullest man! He told me all the names of the wild flowers,—weeds, rather,—there weren’t any flowers. And oh, isn’t it exciting about Eve’s ghost! I’m going to ballyrag Uncle Gif till he lets me sleep in that room. He’ll have to give in at last!”
“Don’t, Vernie,” begged Braye. “What possesses all you girls! I wish we’d never started this racket! But you mustn’t do it, Kiddie, unless, that is, you go with somebody else. But not alone.”
“Why, Cousin Rudolph, what are you afraid of? Are you a mollycoddle?”
“No, child, I’m afraid for you. A shock like that, even an imaginary fright, might upset your reason and——”