on Rose, and Russ, hearing
what she said, knew what she meant. It was the ghost Rose was thinking
of, and not the dark.

"I can take a light," said Grandpa Ford. "Then it won't be dark. But you
mustn't be afraid in the dark. It can't hurt any one."

Just then the bells gave a very loud jingle, just as if some one had
hold of the string and was shaking it hard.

"Oh!" exclaimed Rose.

"I'm goin' to sleep!" announced Mun Bun, and he covered his head with
the bedclothes.

"So'm I," said Margy, and she did as her little brother had done,
snuggling under the covers.

Rose and Russ heard their father ask Grandpa Ford:

"Did this ever happen before?"

"No," answered Grandpa Ford. "We have heard many strange noises at Great
Hedge, noises we thought were caused by--well, you know what I mean,"
and he nodded at Mr. Bunker to show that he did not want to use the word
"ghost."

Of course, Russ and Rose, being in bed in different rooms, could not see
this nod, but they guessed what Grandpa Ford meant.

"Well, we'd better go up and see what it is," said Daddy Bunker. "We
can't sleep with all that jingling going on," and even as he spoke the
bells rang out again.

"I'll get a light," said Grandpa Ford. "A lantern will be best. There is
always more or less breeze up in the attic, and a candle or lamp might
blow out. Come on."

Daddy Bunker and Grandpa Ford went up into the attic, while the six
little Bunkers, two of them with their heads under the covers, waited to
hear what would happen. So did Mother Bunker and Grandma Ford.

The two men were heard tramping around in the attic, and then, suddenly,
just as the bells gave another jingle, there was a loud laugh.

"There! It's all right," said Mother Bunker. "They've found
the--the--whatever it was," she said quickly. "And it must be funny, for
hear them laugh."

Down came Daddy Bunker and Grandpa Ford. Grandpa Ford carried the
lantern, and Daddy Bunker had something in his hand.

"Here's what caused all the trouble!" he said, and he held out something
round and red.

"An apple!" cried Russ, who had come out in the hall to see.

"Just an apple," went on Daddy Bunker. "This apple made all the noise,
or, rather, was the cause of the bells jingling."

"How could an apple make bells jingle?" asked Laddie. "Is that a riddle,
Daddy?"

"Well, almost, you might say. This is how it happened. When Grandpa Ford
and I got up to the attic, we saw the string of sleigh bells