Dan had lowered his voice. “This just goes to prove that I was right,” he declared. “I did hear laughter while we were filming the creek scene. Someone was watching us—either from the woods or this castle.”
“The bird still may be here too, Dan. Let’s look around.”
Quietly the boys went from room to room. No one could be found on the lower floor. Yet as they climbed the circular staircase to the second floor, Dan again thought he heard faint laughter from below.
“You imagined it, Dan,” Brad insisted.
“Maybe, but this house has a dozen and one hiding places. It would be easy for anyone to keep out of our way.”
“I wouldn’t want to go through this place at night,” Brad said with a shiver. “It’s spooky enough by daytime. The bank will be smart to get that window fixed and board up the place.”
Decidedly uneasy, the boys tramped from one bed chamber to another. All the rooms were large and at least half of them had fireplaces. They found no further evidence that anyone was in the dwelling.
“Whoever the person was, I think he’s taken himself off by now,” Brad said finally. By this time they had examined every room, including the circular towers at each corner of the building.
“I guess so,” Dan agreed in relief. “Let’s go back to the kitchen.”
There, the two boys carefully stamped out the dying embers of the fire.