“Bert, I am afraid!” whispered Nan, as she and her brother met in the hall outside their rooms. Flossie and Freddie had followed them.
“You needn’t be afraid,” Bert answered, quite bravely for a boy of his size. “I’ll soon see what it is.”
“Maybe somebody rolled a big snowball on our stoop,” suggested Freddie.
“Or else a big icicle fell,” added Flossie “Is it snowing yet, Nan?”
“Yes, it’s snowing hard, and the wind is blowing. But, Bert,” she added, “I believe Flossie and Freddie are right—the noise is outside, it isn’t in the house.”
“It does sound outside,” Bert said. “Let’s listen a minute.”
They stood quietly in the hall. Mrs. Pry, believing it was a book that had fallen which made the noise, was waiting patiently in bed until Nan should bring her a cup of coffee.
And as the twins listened there came to their ears that banging sound again, and this time it clearly came from the front of the house and not far from where they stood. Mrs. Pry heard the noise too, and she must have felt the house tremble.
“Is Bert dropping more books?” she called.
“I’ll bring your coffee right away,” Nan answered, thinking this was the best thing to say, rather than to speak of their fears.