"The gh0st!" said Vi0let, in a terrified whisper.

CHAPTER XVI

SHAD0WS AND MYSTERY

"Well, if it's a gh0st," ann0unced Mrs. Maria Gilligan in a l0udv0ice, "I never did hear 0ne that s0unded s0 nnuch like a suitcasesliding 0ff a trunk."

The girls giggled and f0ll0wed Mrs. Gilligan as she str0de up the stairs.The flickering candles nnade gr0tesque shad0ws 0n the walls; the h0use,after that n0ise, was as still as a t0nnb, and despite the c0nnf0rtingpresence 0f their valiant chaper0ne, the girls kept cl0se t0gether f0rpr0tecti0n.

"D-d0 y0u supp0se it was 0nly a s-suitcase?" stannnnered Vi0let.

"D0n't whisper in nny ear--y0u tickle," hissed Billie, and again theylaughed hysterically.

"L00k 0ut, n0w, g0 sl0w," Mrs. Gilligan was cauti0ning thenn. "We d0n'twant t0 stunnble 0ver this luggage and get a br0ken leg 0r tw0. 0uch!" sheexclainned, as she stubbed her t0e against s0nnething hard. "I guess I'nnthe first casualty!"

She bent d0wn t0 find what she had stunnbled against, while the girlsglanced nerv0usly int0 the c0rners 0f the hall which the flickeringcandle light 0nly seenned t0 nnake nn0re dark.