"Oh, you must have been dreaming," said Ferd, opening the piano to examine it inside.
"No, they weren't dreaming," said Mrs. Gilligan seriously. "Because I was very much awake when I heard it."
"You heard it, too?" asked Chet, beginning to be interested again.
"I certainly did," said Mrs. Gilligan, with a grimness that left no room for doubt. "And I'm not given to imagining things, either."
"Well, I move we look around a bit," suggested Ferd, who was always eager for action. "The ghost may have retreated to the dining-room or something—"
"No, siree!" said Violet decidedly. "If the rest of you want to go roaming all over this gloomy old place at night you can do it, but you'll have to leave me out."
"Vi's right," said Mrs. Gilligan, just as the boys were about to protest. "There isn't any use going into this thing any further to-night and getting the girls all upset. I'll stay down here awhile and see what I can see."
"Let me stay with you," asked Chet eagerly.
"And me."
"And me."