This announcement, given at this time, sent a thrill of horror through the frames of the little group, the most of whom shivered and remained silent.
“Nonsense, Chick,” said Joe. “You are frightened and imagined you heard such sounds.”
“Come up into the back chamber if you think we lie, Joe. I——”
A peal of thunder caused the frightened Chick to stop in the midst of his speech, while he crept nearer the others.
The first alarm of the rising storm was quickly followed by another flash of lightning, and a second peal of thunder louder and nearer than the first.
Soon after the rain began to fall, while the lightning and the thunder gradually passed over, but not until it seemed as if the old house would be destroyed.
When the fury of the storm was beginning to wane, the little party of frightened people slowly gained courage.
“It must be leaking into the chambers,” said Joe. “I will get one or two of those old buckets in the cellar and put them under the worst places.”
“Oh, don’t dare to move,” admonished Aunt Vinnie. “This is awful.”
Not to be deterred from her purpose, Joe lit the stump of a candle, and carefully descended the old stairs leading to the damp, musty cellar. But she had not gone far before she was startled to find a light already in the dismal place.