“Let’s try,” said Scarlett; and together they turned and twisted with all their might at every baluster from top to bottom, but without result.
“Then it is a secret drawer,” said Fred, in a low, husky voice.
“More like a coffin,” said Scarlett.
“Ugh!”
“I hope no one’s buried here.”
“Oh, I say, don’t talk like that,” cried Fred. “It’s too horrible.”
“Well, it might be so. Some one been killed years ago, and put there.”
“’Tisn’t likely,” said Fred. “But, if it is a secret place, we oughtn’t to let any of the servants know.”
“I didn’t think of that,” replied Scarlett; and, drawing the oaken board back, the spring was closed, and the boys went and looked out to see that Nat Dee was busy over the garden beds; and further investigation proved that the indoor servants were all in the other part of the house.
“They would go up the back-stairs if they wanted anything,” said Scarlett, as they returned to the place where the coloured light shone; but it had already somewhat altered its position as Fred seized the baluster, turned it, and the board lay loose.