However, they found that there was no necessity for their finding a place, if place there was to be found to stay for the night.  They found the owner of the livery stable with two old but well-preserved vehicles which he was eager to place at their disposal.

They spent some time in getting enough provisions to last for a time and to supplement what had been sent from North Bend; then, in half an hour more, with their luggage coming on behind, they were lumbering off over a very rocky road toward the house at Cherry Corners.

Mrs. Gilligan was sitting in front with the driver while the three girls were wedged uncomfortably in the back seat.

“It—­it’s lucky we’re not fat!” gasped Laura, as a particularly rough place in the road fairly shook the breath out of her.  “I don’t know where we would have put ourselves.”

“One of us would have had to sit on the trunks on the cart,” chuckled Billie.  “Ouch!” she cried, as they bounced over another “thank you ma’am,” “I’m glad we haven’t any more than five miles to go.  There wouldn’t be any of us left alive.”

“Five miles!” grumbled Violet.  “And my foot’s asleep already.”

“Here, have some candy,” offered Billie soothingly, fishing one out of her pocket.  “It may make you feel better.”

“Well, it couldn’t make me feel worse,” said Violet, accepting the offering.  “Although,” she added, with a laugh, “I don’t see how it is going to help my sleepy foot.”

“Well, get up and stretch,” advised Laura.  “Seventh inning.”

Violet started to follow her advice but was flung back full force into Billie’s lap, thereby squeezing out a startled “Umph!” from the sufferer.

“Say, you needn’t take it out on me,” cried Billie indignantly.  “I didn’t put your foot to sleep.”

“She’s no nurse girl,” murmured Laura.

The girls laughed and forgot their discomfort.

After a long time of jostling and squeezing they rounded a turn of the road and Billie cried out.

“There it is!” she said, standing up in the jolting vehicle.  “Over there through the trees!  Oh, girls! doesn’t it look gloomy?”

CHAPTER XIV

WEIRD TALES

“Aye, and it is gloomy.”

Startled, the girls looked around for the voice, then realized that it was their driver who had spoken.  He had been silent all the way from the station, and they had all but forgotten him.

“What made you say that?” asked Billie, rather wonderingly.  For although the man had only repeated her own words, the tone in which he said them made them appear twice as ominous.

“It’s a gloomy place,” he said once more, with a shake of his head.  “Aye, and there be some folks around here as says it is haunted.”

“Do—­do they really think so?” stammered Violet Farrington, beginning to wish herself back in North Bend.