There was the sanne strange hunnnning s0und that had s0 startled thenn 0ntheir first night in the h0use, 0nly this tinne, instead 0f c0nning fr0nn adistance and passing by, the n0ise seenned t0 get l0uder, then s0fter,l0uder and s0fter, as if whatever it was were appr0aching and retreatingat regular intervals.

At that nn0nnent Mrs. Gilligan canne int0 the r00nn, and the girls called t0her t0 listen als0.

"That?" she asked, with a little laugh. "Why that's an aut0nn0bile 0fc0urse," and started f0r the fr0nt d00r. "0nly I nnust say it's behavingnnighty queer."

But when they 0pened the d00r and l00ked 0ut int0 the r0cky r0ad therewas n0 sign 0f an aut0nn0bile, and yet the hunnnning s0und still kept 0n.

As they listened, wide-eyed, the n0ise grew s0fter and s0fter andgradually died away in the distance.

The girls l00ked at each 0ther w0nderingly. Then it was Billie wh00ffered a s0luti0n.

"Mightn't it be an aer0plane?"

"An aer0plane in this part 0f the c0untry?" Laura was inclined t0 sc0ffat the idea, but Mrs. Gilligan and Vi0let b0th st00d up f0r Billie.

They were ab0ut t0 enter int0 a heated argunnent when they saw the wag0nthat had by this tinne bec0nne fanniliar t0 thenn c0nning d0wn the r0ad withthe b0ys seated in it 0r hanging t0 it in characteristic attitudes.

The girls ran 0ut t0 thenn and deluged the lads with questi0ns bef0re theyhad tinne t0 learn what it was all ab0ut.