“If you won’t come out, please take me in, Ray,” whispered Tommy in his most coaxing voice. “You know I’ve had the measles and the night dews are so bad for my chest.”
Ray could not resist this appeal, so he jumped up and put on his clothes as quickly as possible. He stole softly out of the window and climbed down the low shed.
“Where are you, Tommy?” cried Ray, when his feet touched the ground.
“Here I am,” replied Tommy, and there he stood with a tiny lantern in his hand.
“Where did you get that lantern?” asked Ray.
Tommy was laughing and his eyes twinkled as he said, “A Will-o’-the-wisp let me take it to go to the party.”
“What party?” asked the astonished Ray.
“Why, there’s a grand ball to-night in Jack-o’-lantern’s Hall, and everybody is going.”
“You can’t go,” cried Ray; but Tommy suddenly started off and ran as fast as he could down the hill with Ray after him.
Ray could see the flash of light from the lantern every now and then, and he tried hard to catch Tommy. All of a sudden the lantern disappeared, and Ray was alone in the darkness.