y'll get discouraged for good and all."

She nodded her head vigorously, and the girls laughed.

"All right, all right," grumbled the driver, disgruntled at having his
ideas treated in this highhanded manner. "You can laugh all you're
wanting to. But I tell you, if it was me--"

"Which it isn't," Mrs. Gilligan interrupted shortly.

"I wouldn't stay in that there haunted place for a farm, I wouldn't."

"What makes you think it's haunted?" Laura persisted, for, of the three
girls, Laura was by far the most curious. "Do people see lights and hear
funny noises and such things?"

"Laura--" began Violet in protest.

"Why no, Miss," said the driver reluctantly. "I don't know as they
actually seen things, but they has heard queer noises. There was some
boys once," he went on, warming to his task of story teller, "as
thought they'd have some fun. You know the old lady what owned the
place was nearly allus away and just left it to a caretaker that didn't
take over much care of it--" He stopped to chuckle, and the girls
leaned forward eagerly.

"What about them?" asked Billie impatiently.

"Well, they thought as they'd play burglar an' break into the place an'
make a regular lark of it."

"Weren't they afraid they'd get caught?" asked Laura.

"Not with Sheriff Higgins on the job," chuckled the driver, in high good
humor now that he was getting off his favorite yarn. They were nearing
the house and the girls hurried him on impatiently.

"Well, they heard such funny humming noises and jingling like the
rattling of chains an' things," said the driver, "that they got most
scared to death and ran back home like the old Nick was after them. Ever
since then folks has said the place was haunted."

"Stuff and rubbish!" said Mrs. Gilligan, as the team came to a stop
before the house. "A nice lot o' talk I call that to fill the girls up
with. Rattlin' of chains and hummin' noises! Huh!" And with her nose
in the air to show her contempt of all such notions she swept out of
the carriage.

The girls followed, and ran back to the wagon that contained their
luggage and some provisions. The boy who had been driving this wagon was
already unloading it, and the old fellow who had told them such gloomy
tales came hobbling back to lend a hand.

Billie fished in her pocketbook for the key to the house which was
supposed to be haunted, and, finding it, held it up with a hand that was
not quite steady.

"Come on," she said. "We've got