“Did you hear any—ghostly noises?” asked Mabel, and involuntarily she looked over her shoulder.
“Not at first,” answered Natalie, and there was an obvious reluctance in her manner.
“Then you did hear something!” exclaimed Jack, who was watching her closely.
“Well, it sounded like some one crying, or moaning, I couldn’t tell which. Then I heard what seemed like some one tramping around in the room overhead.”
“Rats!” exclaimed Jack with such suddenness that all the girls jumped, and Marie screamed.
“I think they were pigeons,” went on Natalie, “and what sounded like moaning was the cooing. When I had reasoned that out I felt better. Then I called for help again, and no one answered for ever so long.”
“You poor child,” murmured Mrs. Bonnell. “Did some one finally come?”
“Yes; Reuben did.”
“Good boy for you, Reuben!” exclaimed Blake, who stood near the farm lad. “I’ll make it all right with you.”
“Huh! I didn’t do it for pay!” he protested.