Ever since Anna’s strange experience, the tea-room had continued to thrive financially. Now, with half of their loan paid off, and a substantial balance in bank, the scouts faced a month of probable prosperity. Marjorie felt satisfied and happy.
She postponed her own adventure at the tea-house until after the first of August. Daisy was going on her vacation then, and Lily had consented to take one week; so Marjorie felt that it would be easier with the more nervous girls away. She wanted Ethel Todd as her sole partner.
“Marj, I wish you would give up that wild scheme of yours,” begged Lily; as she said goodbye to her. “So many things may happen—leaving ghosts out of the question, I mean!”
“Oh, we’ll take Jack’s revolver along,” said Marjorie. “You needn’t worry about Ethel and me—we can take care of ourselves.”
“Well, be sure to write to me as soon as it is over! I can’t help being worried.”
“All right,” agreed Marjorie, laughingly; “I will.”
True to his promise, however, Marjorie’s brother Jack made no attempt to dissuade her from her purpose, and refrained from writing his parents anything about it. When the evening for the event arrived, he drove over with John Hadley in the Ford to take the girls down to the tea-house and to see that they were comfortably established for the night.
Since Mrs. Hadley happened to be with them, and could act as chaperone, the girls invited the boys to come in for refreshments. While Marjorie was making some lemonade in the kitchen, John and Jack went all over the house, examining every corner to make sure that there was no one in concealment. In the dim candle-light the cellar appeared forbidding, but upon examination it proved to be as harmless as the rest of the house.
“Any ghosts?” asked Marjorie, as they returned.
“No—not a sign of one!” replied John. “You aren’t the least bit scared, are you, Marj?”