"Hurry!" gasped quick-eared Jean, snatching the basin and hurling a towel in Mabel's direction. "I heard our gate click. There's somebody coming."
"Don't let 'em in," breathed Mabel, defiantly.
"I'm afraid," said Jean, "we'll have to."
"Anyway," soothed Bettie, "we'll peek first—there's the door-bell!"
CHAPTER IX
A Surprise
JEAN and Bettie flew to one window, Marjory to the other. Mabel wanted to fly, too, but she remained faithfully at her post, feeling quite cheered by her own heroism.
"It's dark gray trousers with a crease in 'em; not skirts," announced Marjory, peering under the edge of the shade.
"Probably a man from the asylum," shuddered Bettie. "Let's keep very still. He may think that this is the wrong house and go somewhere else."