"How'd you find it? Does it open right into the tower room? Were you scared?" he asked.
"I'm hungry," declared Gyp.
"Let's hear all about it on the way home," suggested Uncle Johnny. "And we'll put George Washington back in place—there's no use letting the entire school know about this." His words were directed to Graham and to the janitor. "Now, my girlies—what in the world have you got?" For Jerry had picked up the huge Bible.
"It's a—a letter we found—in the Bible——"
"So you brought the whole thing?" Uncle Johnny laughed. "Lead the way, Miss Lee."
In the automobile Gyp had to have an explanation of the poles and the rope. When she heard of their fears her face grew troubled.
"Oh—how mumsey must have worried!" As the automobile drew up at the curb she sprang from it and rushed into the house, straight into her mother's arms—Mrs. Westley had heard the car stop and had walked with faltering steps to the door.
"Mother, I didn't want you to be worried—not for the world! But we couldn't help it."
With the girls safe at home the horrible fears that had tortured them all seemed very foolish. The entire family listened with deep interest while Gyp told of that first afternoon when she and Jerry had discovered the secret stairway and of the subsequent meetings of the Ravens in the tower room.
"Please, Uncle Johnny, make Isobel and Graham promise they won't tell anybody! It ought to be ours 'cause we found it and we're Westleys," begged Gyp.