Mrs. Conway looked round a little nervously.
[154]
]“This is all very strange,” she said; “there must be some one in the house; I—I can’t understand it all.”
Dolly grew a little pale.
“P’waps it’s a haunted house,” she whispered, “p’waps there are spiwits in it.”
“Nonsense,” said her mother; “at all events it’s a very practical and kindly spirit.” She went out and looked in every room; Dolly was able to testify no one had been in or out of the gate, for she and Weenie had stood there all the time.
“But there was a vewy dweadful noise once,” she said, with a glance of fear over her shoulder.
Mrs. Conway raised her voice so that it would go through all the little cottage.
“Is any one there?” she said. “Is any one in the house? if so, will they please speak?”
“P’raps she won’t mind us,” whispered Teddie; “go on, say yes, they’re getting frightened.”
Some brown wavy hair and a thin boy’s face, very red and ashamed of itself, showed at the open window.