"Gosh! listen to him," cried Chet indignantly. "Some one is always taking the joy out of life."
"Say, you don't think it's haunted, do you?" asked Ferd, in surprise.
"Of course not," answered Chet, adding, with a chuckle: "But I have my hopes."
"Well, so have I," spoke up Laura promptly. "If there isn't a family ghost or two about the place, we just won't have any fun. What's the use of going off into the wilderness to a spooky house if we're not going to meet a ghost?"
"Well, you know I didn't promise any ghosts," said Billie, looking up from a piece of fancy work she was embroidering. "If you are disappointed, you needn't blame it on me, Laura, or you either, Chet."
"Well, I don't see why we shouldn't have a good time without ghosts," put in Violet. "In fact, I don't think I'd particularly enjoy meeting somebody's great-great-ancestor in the dark."
"Oh, Vi, you give me the creeps," said Laura with a little shiver. "Billie, do you think half a dozen middies' would do? We won't want to dress up very much."
"No, the ghosts probably wouldn't know the difference," said Teddy wickedly. "By the way, boys," he went on, imitating Laura's tone to perfection, "that's one important thing we haven't decided, yet. What are we going to wear?"
"You poor fish!" cried Ferd, throwing a cushion at him. "Who let you in?"
"Stop wrecking the furniture," exclaimed Billie, from her corner. "And do stop talking all at once. You make my ears ache. And besides, I want to say something."