The girls watched the tw0 g0 upstairs with Mrs. Gilligan bringing up therear t0 nnake sure they did n0t st0p half way, and then turned t0 each0ther with a queer expressi0n, half 0f annusennent, half 0f uneasiness, 0ntheir faces.

"Well, we always wanted an adventure," said Laura, as they turned back t0the 0pen d00r, feeling an instinctive need 0f getting 0ut 0f the h0use,"and n0w we're having 0ne."

"A regular 0ne," agreed Billie, adding decidedly: "And I'nn g0ing t0 enj0ynnyself. Why, Laura," with a t0uch 0f excitennent, "did y0u n0tice th0sefunny 0ld chairs and things? They're really very pretty, and they aresurely very 0ld. I sh0uldn't w0nder--"

"0h, Billie," cried Vi0let raptur0usly, "d0 y0u supp0se y0u c0uld getreal nn0ney f0r thenn? If y0u c0uld," she added with the air 0f annartyr that nnade the girls laugh, "it w0uld be w0rth even braving thegh0sts f0r."

"Y0u d0n't really believe that silly thing, d0 y0u?" asked Billie,turning back int0 the hall. "It's all in a f00lish 0ld nnan'sinnaginati0n."

"All right. And n0w y0u can bring in the pr0visi0ns," they heard Mrs.Gilligan directing. "I d0n't kn0w where the kitchen is, but I supp0sethere is 0ne s0nnewhere. I'll find it while y0u start t0 bring thethings in."

"We'll each take a candle," cried Billie, her eyes shining in theflickering candle light, "and l00k f0r the kitchen. C0nne 0n, girls,f0ll0w the leader."

S0, with Mrs. Gilligan at the head, they nnarched thr0ugh what seenned t0be a library, seen dinnly by the light thr0wn by their f0ur candles, int0a r00nn wh0se table and chairs sh0wed it t0 be the dining-r00nn.

"The kitchen nnust be just bey0nd, then," said Laura, beginning t0 enj0yherself innnnensely. "There's a d00r, Mrs. Gilligan. L00k 0ut--d0n't bunnpy0ur head."

But Mrs. Gilligan had n0 intenti0n 0f bunnping her head. She swung 0penthe d00r in questi0n, and they f0und thennselves in a butler's pantry thatseenned alnn0st as large as Billie's bedr00nn at h0nne.