“Well, the best thing I can see to do,” said Billie, letting down her long hair and brushing it vigorously, “is to get to bed, go to sleep, and forget all about it.”

“Yes, if we can sleep,” said Laura doubtfully, as she took her nightgown out of the grip.

The girls undressed as quickly as they could, said their prayers, and crawled under the sheets, pulling them up tight beneath their chins.

“You know,” whispered Billie, after they had been quiet for some time staring up at the ceiling, “I have an idea that I’ve got the worst of this bargain.”

“Now what are you raving about?” asked Laura, turning a pair of unnaturally bright eyes upon her.

“Why, you chose the middle of the bed and Vi took the end nearest the wall.  That leaves me on the outside to ward off the ghosts.  It isn’t fair.”

“Oh, but, Billie dear, you’re ever so much braver than we are,” said Violet cajolingly.  “Don’t you remember how you’ve said right along that you weren’t afraid of ghosts?”

“Well, I’m not,” said Billie stoutly, while her eyes searched the far corners of the room which were beginning to get very indistinct and creepy in the flickering uncertain light of the fast shortening candles.  “And, anyway,” she added, the thought seeming to comfort her, “I locked the door.”

“Well, don’t you know a ghost can walk right through a door?” asked Laura, and Violet bounced in the bed and came down with a thud.

“Stop it,” she commanded.  “I’m trying my hardest to get to sleep before those candles burn out.  When it gets pitch dark in here I never can.”

“And all this comes under the head of pleasure,” murmured Laura with a little chuckle.

“All right—­we’ll keep still,” agreed Billie.  “I think myself that the best thing we can do is get to sleep.  Night, girls.  We’ll all feel better in the morning.”

“If we’re here to feel anything,” added Violet gloomily.

For a long time the girls lay wide-eyed and quiet, but gradually the law of nature asserted itself.  Their eyelids drooped, and the deep regular breathing showed that they were asleep.

It was about three o’clock in the morning that it happened.  Tortured by dreams in which she was being chased by a ghost in goggles and a green motor car, Violet finally awoke and lay staring out at the dark.

Then suddenly she sat up.  Her dream had followed her into the world of reality.  There was the same strange, weird purring noise that sounded like, yet was strangely unlike, the chugging of a motor car.

She sat absolutely still with every nerve tense, feeling chilly and scared.

At last she could stand it no longer and, leaning over, touched Laura gently on the arm.

“What’s the matter?” cried the latter, starting up fearfully.  At the same moment Billie opened her eyes.

“That noise!” whispered Violet.  “Listen!”