As Jack’s sister threw back the door she gave one look in the living room, and exclaimed:

“It’s here!”

“What?” asked Walter, quickly.

“The surprise! Look!”

CHAPTER XIX—WHERE’S MY LIGHT?

Crowding up behind Cora, the others peered over her shoulders. The setting sun, streaming in through the windows, revealed a strange sight in the big living room. Several chairs were overturned, a large couch that had been against the wall was out in the middle of the floor, a table that had been piled with magazines and books was turned on its side, and turned upside down on the overturned table was perched a chair, as though children had been playing some simple game, like stagecoach or steamboat, with the table and chair to represent make-believe articles of locomotion.

For a moment surprise and wonder held them all dumb, then Jack burst out with:

“Say! who did this monkey-business, anyhow?”

“Monkey-business?” repeated Cora.

“It’s the surprise!” exclaimed Belle, and her voice was not quite steady. “We’ve been expecting this. The ghosts have paid one of their visits. Oh dear!”