“Never mind. Don’t let the rest of them know it,” was her chum’s reply.
They came to the ruined gate and pushed it open. The path was weed-grown, and as they rustled through, keeping close together, the owl hooted again—right over their heads.
“Ouch!” screamed Nellie Agnew.
A chorus of giggles answered from the crowd in the rear. But her companions saw nothing to laugh at. The owl had startled all four.
“Oh, dear!” whispered Dora. “Let’s go back.”
Laura marched straight on to the step of the porch. The boards creaked under her feet as she mounted to the door. The door hung from one hinge and when she pushed upon it, it creaked frightfully.
“Oh!” squealed Nellie again.
“Do come on!” muttered Jess. “I’m just as scared as you are; but don’t let those girls know how bad we feel. They’re just enjoying themselves.”
“And of course there’s nothing, or nobody, here,” Laura added. “They are just having fun with us. Even if something does startle us in this old house, it will be nothing worse than rats.”