on the side of the
auto whence the wind came, screamed and let go of the flap. In an
instant, so powerful was the wind, it had ripped off the curtain,
sending it scurrying away in the blackness of the night, that was torn
and pierced by frequent flashes of lightning.

"Now we have done it!" cried Grace. "Oh, Mollie, I'm so sorry!"

"Never mind! Don't talk about that now. Get on your raincoats, girls, or
you'll be drenched!" and, fastening the last strap of her curtain,
Mollie donned her garment--the girls and Mrs. Mackson carrying them in a
seat locker that Mollie had utilized for this purpose.

But the rain came in at the place where there was no side curtain,
sweeping over them all. The wind blew fiercely, and the auto swayed in
the blast. Miserable indeed was the plight of the Outdoor Girls. They
were possibly having just a little too much of out doors.

CHAPTER XIV

AT THE HAUNTED HOUSE

"Girls, I can't stand this any longer!" complained Mollie, as the storm
raged about and above them.

"What are you going to do?" asked Betty.

"For one thing, let's try to take one of the curtains from the side
where the wind doesn't blow so hard, and fasten it on the place where
that one blew away. That will help some."

They tried, but it was hard work. The curtains fastened with straps
above and below, being a new kind, and not very satisfactory, as Mollie
declared then and there. Nor were the girls successful, for the wind
whipped and blew the curtain about so that it was impossible to put it
up. Thus there were two openings now--one on either side of the
auto--and rain came in both.

"This is dreadful!" cried Mollie. "Girls, I'm sure you'll never forgive
me for getting you into this scrape."

"It wasn't your fault," said Betty. "You couldn't tell that the motor
was going to give out. Besides, what if we are wet? It isn't very cold,
and we'll get dry some time. Oh, but that was a heavy one!" she cried,
pressing her hands over her ears as a tremendous peal of thunder
followed closely after a vivid flash.

"We must do something!" cried Mollie. "This is unbearable."

"But what are you going to do?" asked Grace. "It looks to me as though
we'd just have to bear it."

"We can get out and walk until we find some kind of shelter," said
Mollie. "There must be some sort of house around here. This place isn't
a desert. And even walking in the rain and mud is better than staying
here, all cramped up, and drenched.