Neither Mrs. Dunbar nor the girls had come back to the room, and for a moment Cleo hesitated, perched there at the window. Should she turn off the light to be able the better to see into the darkness?
The white object appeared to move a trifle, and it seemed large, even like a girl's form.
Cleo jumped from the window seat and touched the button to shut off the light. At the same moment Grace and Madaline entered the room.
Both screamed as they encountered the darkness.
"Oh, Cleo, where are you?" begged Grace.
"She's gone, too!" wailed Madaline.
"Hush!" whispered Cleo, as soon as she could make herself heard.
"There's something white out in the tree!"
"Oh, where is Aunt Audrey?" Madaline pleaded, turning to run.
"Never mind," Grace assured her. "Whatever it is it can't get in here.
Let us help Cleo."
Cleo was now standing on the window ledge with her feet inside the room and her head and shoulders out in the darkness. Grace and Madaline got hold of her somehow, for her leaning position out of the high window seemed apt to overbalance her at the slightest move.