Megsy glanced at her faithful little wrist watch. Her exclamation of dismay startled the group about her. “It’s quarter to five. The sleighs must have passed long ago.”
Virginia, feeling, because she was oldest, as though she were responsible, walked quickly back to the door through which they had come. To her dismay she found that when Margaret had closed it, it automatically had locked.
They were evidently prisoners in that old deserted house. Moreover, it was bitterly cold. They would be nearly frozen if they remained there all night, and yet, how could they get away? Even if Micky O’Brien found a way to get into the grounds, they would not be able to hear him however loud he shouted.
Betsy, who had led them into all this trouble, felt properly contrite for a moment. Then she said hopefully, “Girls, Micky will surely find the trail we made in the snow and he’ll follow it. That will lead him to the broken cellar door and——”
But Margaret shook her head dolefully. “Not if the snowstorm has come. Our tracks will soon be covered.”
“Perhaps we can find another way out,” Babs said. “I suggest that we try first one of these closed doors and then another.” But just at that moment something most unexpected happened.
CHAPTER VI
AN UNEXPECTED APPARITION
As Margaret advanced toward one of the closed doors, and had her hand on the knob, she suddenly sprang back in alarm, for the door had been thrown open and a young girl of their own age darted out, closing it behind her.
Then with flashing eyes, she asked, “Who are you and what right have you to be prowling about my great great grandfather’s house?”
“We have no right whatever,” Virginia said, “and we ask you to pardon us. We are five girls from Vine Haven Seminary, and although we really did want to see the outside of this most interesting old house, we entered it quite unintentionally.”