“Some one in there?” repeated Ruth. “Well, that’s very possible. Mrs. Mac may be there, or Neale or—”
“No, it isn’t any of them!” insisted Dot. “I saw everybody that belongs to us. It’s somebody else! He’s in the storeroom, and he sneezed and made a noise like a goat.”
“You ridiculous child! what do you mean?” exclaimed Agnes, who was just passing through the room and heard what Dot said.
“You probably heard one of Hank’s mules hee-hawing,” said Ruth, getting up from her chair.
“Mules don’t sneeze!” declared Dot with conviction.
Ruth had to admit the truth of this.
“You come and see!” urged Dot, and, clasping her sister’s hand, she led her into the storeroom, Agnes following.
“What’s up?” asked Mr. Howbridge, coming along just then.
“Oh, Dot imagines she heard some unusual noise,” explained Ruth.
“I did hear it!” insisted the younger girl. “It was a sneeze and a bleat like a goat and it smells like a goat, too. Smell it!” she cried, vigorously sniffing the air as she paused on the threshold of the storeroom. “Don’t you smell it?”