“Be careful,” warned the guardian, “you don’t want to sprain your ankle again.”
“And those stairs aren’t any too safe,” added Marie.
But they managed to get up them in safety, and found themselves in an upper story of the mill. There were remains of old machinery, now rusted and broken, and big bins for the storage of grain.
The mill was a rambling structure, that seemed to have been built on and added to from time to time. It had also served as a home for the families of the various millers. There were passage-ways leading from room to room, sometimes little flights of steps necessitated because the floors were on different levels. But, as far as the girls could see, there was no place for any substantial creature to hide.
“Though of course ghosts could stow themselves away in a rat hole,” observed Mabel.
“Don’t say ghosts and rats up here,” begged Marie.
“Let’s go down stairs and look around,” suggested Natalie. “We’ll make a fire, if we can find anything, and be cosy as we sit about it. Then we can eat when we’re ready. Did you bring that box of candy, Mabel?”
“I did—what’s left of it.”
“Oh! nearly five pounds gone since the first of the week!” exclaimed Mrs. Bonnell. “Girls, your indigestions will be ruined!”
“Good!” laughed Alice.