Greatly relieved that the ghost scare had no serious aspects, the Scouts discussed the prank for a few minutes, and then went to bed. It was a long while, however, before the house finally settled down.
Judy fell quickly asleep. How long she slumbered she had no way of knowing. But suddenly, she found herself wide awake.
Miss Ward, she noted, was sleeping soundly beside her.
Wondering what had disturbed her, Judy sat up. Moonlight streamed into the bedroom. She judged that it could not be later than midnight or possibly one o’clock.
The telephone was ringing.
“So that’s what awakened me!” Judy thought, leaping out of bed. “Wonder who can be calling at this time of night?”
The phone call, she thought, might be from Pine Cone Camp. Something might have happened to Betty or Beverly. Or possibly it was a message from Aunt Mattie.
In her haste to reach the telephone before it stopped ringing, Judy bumped against a chair. Nursing a bruised knee, she hobbled on.
As she took down the receiver to say “hello,” a gruff voice came over the line.
“Time you answered! Is Joe there?”