Violet jumped cle

illie, wide-eyed

" asked Laura when sh

ly and enjoying the sensation she had caused,

ed Violet, while Laura just continue

Billie, just as her father

the ghosts, I should want some very substantial compensations to make up for s

llie. "And you know it isn't ever

g in a hushed tone. "Is it a real haun

d Billie reluctantly. "You see, it is the house Aunt Beatrice used to liv

!" cried Laura, clappin

illie. What made you

d told her about her inheritance and, if the tru

nished the girls were as perfectly wild as Chet had been to visit

ously. "Just think of being able to roam all ov

ds dirty," interr

rts to regard her friend with wide eyes, "a

I'm awful, all 'cept Chet, and I suppose I am-but I'd give the whole place, tunnels, sp

s strange inheritance did not do a thing toward solving the old

up some happy way out of a difficul

lf hopefully, "but what you could sell some of the furnitu

lighting up again. "But mother said it must

y that the old house dates back to revolutionary times, Billie. How do we k

of that in a thousand years. Now you speak of it," she added thoughtfully, "I remember some antique furniture t

e care!" cried Laura flippantly. "Maybe you'll

. "It would mean that you could pay for that beastly old statue, B

the military academy

a ad

t is the use of getting my hopes all raised? Probably Aunt Beatrice's furnit

et blanket!" cried

erately, "than to plan for a lot of fun and then be disap

Billie's brave little

aura put an

soothingly. "And if you don't want u

to ourselves," added Laura,

plaintively. "And I don't want to be a wet

forth in silence for a

who

out to look over you

an arrange it, I suppose. Dad says it's a full day's trip to get th

the night in the hou

t say I wouldn't like to-not the first night anyway. I'

o laugh at me," said Violet after another short

ly: "Tell us about it, Violet. Even if we do laugh at y

eminded her, adding, as the worst threat she could th

Billie. "As Chet w

oking at them intently, "that we haven't a

o finish, "you have a good idea this time. You we

g with a demure glance: "Nobody seems to think of

're not the only property holder in the community, Billie Bradley. Dad gave me

lse to do with them, so wished t

ful little smile: "I've never been able to find o

all that has to do wit

w own up-don't you th

stically. "I don't know when I've e

Violet, beginning to look anxious. "Don't yo

ing a vacation out in the wilderness a million miles or so from nowhere in an old tumbled

id Laura, the irrepressible. "That

asked

me, Billie," as Billie in her turn looked thr

to Violet. "Did you really mean that abo

at's so very funny about it anyway. We could take a

laughing eyes. "I meant," she added, angry because of the blush, "that

d Laura, with an aggrav

ke her. "We know a

ch a goose as to make a joke of the very real friendship between her and Teddy Jordon? She liked Te

it is a good idea?"

last part-about the boys," said Laura, and

Cherry Corners. "Mother says the rooms are large and there are plenty of them so we could have

are the more fun we'll have. I say, Billie, don't you think we'd better take Gyp along?" Gyp was a thoro

s laughe

st ghosts!" scoffed Violet. "Why,

huckle, "he could at least bark and