BELLING THE GHOST
There was a sharp, cold wind that afternoon and so Nann suggested that
they make a big fire on the hearth in the living room and write letters.
Miss Moore had told them that she wished to be left alone.
“We have used up nearly all of the wood in the shed,” Nann said as she
brought in an armful.
“There’s lots of driftwood on the shore. Let’s gather some tomorrow,”
Dories suggested as she made herself comfortable in a deep, easy willow
chair near the jolly blaze which Nann had started. “Now I’m going to
write the newsiest kind of a letter to mother and brother. I suppose
you’ll write to your father.”
Nann nodded as she seated herself on the other side of the fireplace,
pencil and pad in readiness. For a few moments they scribbled, then
Dories glanced up to remark with a half shudder, “Do hear that mournful
wind whistling down the chimney, and here comes the fog drifting in so
early. If it weren’t for the fire, this would be a gloomy afternoon.”
Again they wrote for a time, then Dories glanced up to find Nann gazing
thoughtfully into the fire. “A penny for your thoughts,” she called.
Nann smiled brightly. “They were rather a jumble. I was wondering if, by
any chance, you and I would ever meet the wee girl and the handsome
little boy who sailed away on the Phantom Yacht; then, too, I was
wondering who was playing a practical joke on us.”
“Meaning what?”
“Why the notes, of course.” Nann folded her finished letter, addressed
the envelope and after stamping it, she glanced up to ask, “Why not tell
me now, how you intend to trap the joker.”
“You mean the spook. Well this is it. I found a little bell today. One
that Aunt Jane used, I suppose, to call her maid in former years.”
Nann’s merry laughter rang out. “I’ve heard of belling a cat,” she said,
“but never before did I hear of belling a ghost.”
Dories smiled. “Oh, I didn’t mean that we were to catch the—well, whoever
it is that leaves the messages, first, and then hang a bell on him. That,
of course, would be impossible.”
“Well, then, what is your plan?”
But before Dories could explain, a querulous voice from the adjoining
room called, “Girls, its five o’clock! I do wish you would bring me my
toast and tea. The air is so chilly, I need it to warm me up.”
Contritely Dories sprang to the door. She had entirely forgotten her
aunt’s existence all of the afternoon. “Wouldn’t you like to have part of
the supper that Nann and I will prepare for ourselves?” she asked. “We’ll
have anything that you would like.”
“Toast and tea are all I wish, and I want them at once,” was the rather
ungracious reply. And so the girls went to the kitchen, made a fire in
the stove and set the kettle on to boil.
“Goodness, I’d hate to have nothing to eat but tea and toast day in and
day out,” was Dories’ comment. Then to her companion, “It’s your turn to
choose from the cupboard tonight and plan the supper.”
“All right, and I’ll get it, too, while you wait on Miss Moore.”
An hour later the girls had finished the really excellent meal which Nann
had prepared, and, for a while, they sat close to the kitchen stove to
keep warm. The wind, which had been moaning all of the afternoon about
the cabin, had risen in velocity and Dories remarked with a shudder that
it might be the start of one of those dismal three-day storms about which
Gib had told them.
“It may be as terrible as that hurricane that swept the sea up over the
wall and undermined old Colonel Wadbury’s house,” she continued, bent, it
would seem, on having the picture as dark as she could.
“Won’t it be great?” Nann smiled provokingly. “You ought to be glad, for
surely the spook that carries the lantern down on the point will be blown
away.” Then, chancing to recall something, she asked, “But you haven’t
told me your plan yet. How are you going to bell the ghost?”
“My plan is to hang a little bell on the knob after we have locked our
door. Then, of course, if we have a midnight visitor, he won’t be able to
enter without ringing the bell,” Dories explained.
“Poor Aunt Jane, if it does ring,” Nann remarked. “How frightened she
will be.”
Dories drew her knees up and folded her arms about them. “Well, I do
believe that we would be most scared of all,” she said.
“Then why do it?” This merrily from Nann. “And, what’s more, if it is a
ghost, it will be able to slip into our room without awakening us.
Whoever heard of a ghost having to stop to unlock a door?”
“Maybe not,” Dories agreed, “but if we are going to have any real
enjoyment during our stay in this cabin, we must frighten away the ghost
that seems to haunt it. I think my plan is an excellent one and, at
least, I’d like to try it.”
“Very well, maiden fair.” Nann rose as she spoke. “On your head be the
result. Now, shall we ascend to our chamber?”
Taking the lantern, she led the way, and Dories followed, carrying a
small bell. When the loft room was reached the lantern was placed on a
table. Nann carefully locked the door and, removing the key, she placed
it by the lamp.
Then she held the small bell while Dories tied it to the knob. This done,
they hastily undressed and hopped into bed.
“Let’s leave the light burning all night so that we may watch the bell,”
the more timid maiden suggested.
How her companion laughed. “Why watch it?” she inquired. “We surely will
be able to hear it in the dark if it rings. There is very little oil left
in the lantern, so we’d better put the light out now, and then, if along
about midnight we hear the bell ringing, we can relight it and see who
our visitor may be.”
“Nann Sibbett, I’m almost inclined to think that you write those messages
yourself, just to tease me, for you don’t seem to be the least bit
afraid.” This accusingly.
“Honest, Injun, I don’t write them!” Nann said with sudden seriousness.
“I haven’t the slightest idea where the messages come from, but I do know
that whoever leaves them does not mean harm to us, so why be afraid? Now
cuddle down, for I’m going to blow out the light.”
Dories ducked under the quilt and, a moment later, when she ventured to
peer out, she found the room in complete darkness, for, as usual, a heavy
fog shut out the light of the stars.
“How long do you suppose it will be before the bell rings?” she
whispered.
“Well, I’m not going to stay awake to listen,” Nann replied, but she had
not slept long when she was suddenly awakened by her companion, who was
clutching her arm. “Did you hear that noise? What was it? Didn’t it sound
like a faint tinkle?”
The two girls sat up in bed and stared at the door.