"It's coming down in torrents!" exclaimed Betty. "We simply can't go out."
"And it will give us something to do to explore a bit," added Mrs. Mackson. "Come along girls. Who knows but what we may find a table all set for us by fairy hands, as we used to read of in the story books?"
They paused for a moment. Not a sound came from the rooms and passage about them. Only the storm raged outside.
"Well, let's—let's——" began Mollie.
"Oh, come on!" cried Betty, as her chum hesitated. "At least we have lights."
"And I'm going to take off my wet coat," said Grace.
"Oh, if we could have a fire!"
"There's a fire place," said Betty, flashing her lamp into the room the door of which Amy had opened. "And, I do declare, some old boards and boxes! Why can't we have a fire?"
The idea appealed to all of them, and presently, taking heart, they entered the room, and piling some boxes, splintered boards and papers on the old hearth, set them ablaze.
As the ruddy flames leaped up the broad chimney they gathered about, much cheered, though still hungry.