“And now we shall leave you to your fates,” said Ford Armstrong, with mock heroics.
“And don’t forget about coming after us,” warned Mabel, shaking a finger at him.
Laughingly the boys promised once more, and then departed in their launch, rather wishing the girls had asked them to stay.
“Now we must begin our search!” declared Natalie. “We will work a while and then rest, eat and string beads, and do some more searching. I’m going to find that secret room!”
“Natalie will insist on that,” remarked Mabel. “Oh, what a scary place!” she added, as she looked around the gloomy old mill.
“Hark!” called Marie softly.
“Oh, what is it?” demanded Alice, grasping the arm of Natalie.
“Don’t!” begged the other. “That’s my sore place—where the briars scratched me.”
“Sillies! It isn’t anything but the wind rattling,” said Mrs. Bonnell. “If you’re going to scream at every sound we might as well stop now.”
“Oh, let’s begin!” cried Natalie. “I do so want to beat the boys at their own game. Come on, I’ll lead the way,” and she darted toward the stairs.