As the time drew near they could hardly contain their excitement, and the boys, who had decided they would follow the girls some days later, were almost as bad.

“I don’t see why you don’t come with us,” Billie pouted one night, when the entire crowd of young folks had assembled at her home.  “It would be lots more fun on the train if you boys were with us.”

“But there is the tennis match we promised to play with the fellows of the south end,” Chet pointed out for perhaps the hundredth time.  “We couldn’t back out of it at the last minute, you know; they’d think we were afraid.”

“Now how do you know,” Violet pointed out, “but what we will all have been eaten up by the ghosts by the time you get there?”

“Ghosts!” scoffed Ferdinand Stowing, who was to go with Chet and Teddy.  “I don’t see where you girls get this ghost stuff.  Just because a house happens to be old doesn’t say it’s haunted.”

“Gosh! listen to him,” cried Chet indignantly.  “Some one is always taking the joy out of life.”

“Say, you don’t think it’s haunted, do you?” asked Ferd, in surprise.

“Of course not,” answered Chet, adding, with a chuckle:  “But I have my hopes.”

“Well, so have I,” spoke up Laura promptly.  “If there isn’t a family ghost or two about the place, we just won’t have any fun.  What’s the use of going off into the wilderness to a spooky house if we’re not going to meet a ghost?”

“Well, you know I didn’t promise any ghosts,” said Billie, looking up from a piece of fancy work she was embroidering.  “If you are disappointed, you needn’t blame it on me, Laura, or you either, Chet.”

“Well, I don’t see why we shouldn’t have a good time without ghosts,” put in Violet.  “In fact, I don’t think I’d particularly enjoy meeting somebody’s great-great-ancestor in the dark.”

“Oh, Vi, you give me the creeps,” said Laura with a little shiver.  “Billie, do you think half a dozen middies’ would do?  We won’t want to dress up very much.”

“No, the ghosts probably wouldn’t know the difference,” said Teddy wickedly.  “By the way, boys,” he went on, imitating Laura’s tone to perfection, “that’s one important thing we haven’t decided, yet.  What are we going to wear?”

“You poor fish!” cried Ferd, throwing a cushion at him.  “Who let you in?”

“Stop wrecking the furniture,” exclaimed Billie, from her corner.  “And do stop talking all at once.  You make my ears ache.  And besides, I want to say something.”

“Silence,” cried Chet, in a dramatically deep voice.  “The queen is about to speak.”

“He said something that time,” whispered Teddy in her ear, and a little pink flush mounted to Billie’s face, making her look prettier than ever.  It was so nice to have one’s friends like you!

“Why, I was just thinking about the cooking,” she said.  “Do any of you boys know how to cook?”

“Heavens, listen at her!” cried Ferd in alarm.  “Is she going to set us to work already—­before we get there?  What’s the idea, Billie?”