'I am coming too!' announced Nannie. 'I want to see what is in the chest. I have fed my birds, and I may not stay out in the rain.'
'Little girls should not be inquisitive,' said George, who dearly loved to tease his sister. 'You may see more than you want.'
'Oh, George! what?' said Nannie, in rather a shaky voice. 'What do you think is in the chest?'
'You will see by-and-by, and remember I have warned you!' said George, mysteriously.
Nannie, though alarmed, bravely stood her ground and watched the two boys as they tried every key on the bunch; then, finding that none fitted, they used a screw-driver, and at last were successful.
'Now, Nannie!' shouted George, as Pelham lifted the heavy lid. 'Look out! I am sure I heard something stirring inside.'
Pelham held up the candle and looked eagerly into the dark chest.
'Empty! quite empty!' he cried, in a tone of the utmost disgust. 'Nothing at all in it but an old letter!' and he threw the paper on to the ground by the side of the chisel.
'I told you so,' began Nannie, but the sentence was hardly out of her mouth before she gave a little shriek and leapt high into the air. 'A rat! a horrid rat!' shrieked the child. 'It ran over my foot.'
George did not shriek; but he, too, was startled, for the rat had appeared so suddenly.