"She is upstairs now," announced that wonderful man.
"Oh, Zebedee! I just knew you could work it!" and Dee gave him another bear hug for luck.
Dee had sent a telegram to her father asking him to get hold of Mr. Pore and persuade him to hurry back and release Annie.
Miss Maria was anxious to hear of our success with the servants and was delighted to know of their contemplated return. When we told her that the only way to get them back was to have a circus, she was greatly amused. Zebedee, of course, entered into the scheme with his usual enthusiasm.
"When is it to be?"
"Now!" I answered. "The darkies are on their way, ten thousand strong."
"But, my dear, there are only five house servants," said Miss Maria.
"Yes, but all the field hands had laid off, too, because of the ghost. I fancy all of the colored people from the quarters are coming up to be convinced against their will that the ghost was not a ghost."
"But suppose Mary can't climb down again. She might kill herself this time," wailed the poor hostess.
"Not at all!" I reassured her. "It will be much easier to do it in daylight than in darkness."