She spoke with such imperiousness that Bunny judged it best to comply.  He showed her a door in the eastern wall that was draped by a heavy red curtain.

“You can get up on to the ramparts that way.  But wait a minute while I find the switch!  What are you running away from?  There isn’t a bogey-man anywhere.”

Toby drew in her breath sharply with a nervous glance over her shoulder.  “I think it’s a dreadful place,” she said.  “I want to get out into the air.”

Bunny opened the door, and a dark passage gaped before them.  “This looks much more eerie,” he observed, feeling about for a switch.  “Do you really like this better?”

“Much better,” said Toby, going boldly into the darkness.

“Don’t believe there is a switch,” said Bunny, striking a match.  “No, there isn’t!  How beastly medieval!  Look here!  Wait while I go and get an electric torch!”

“No, no!  Let’s feel our way!  I’m sure we can,” urged Toby.  “Come on!  It’ll be fun.  Shut the door!”

The spirit of adventure seized upon Bunny.  He let the door swing closed and caught her hand again.

Toby’s delighted chuckle told him that she had fully recovered her equilibrium.  Her fingers twined closely about his own.

“Now we shall have some fun!” she said.

They went forward together for a few yards in total darkness.  Then, from somewhere high above them a faint light filtered through.

“That’s on the stairs,” said Bunny.  “One of those window-slits through which in the old hospitable days all comers were potted at.  Look out how you go!”

The words were scarcely uttered when they both kicked against the lowest stair and blundered forward.  A squeal of laughter came from Toby.  Bunny said “Damn!” with much heartiness and then laughed also.

“I knew it would be fun,” said Toby.  “Are you hurt?”

He raised her with a strong young arm.  “No, I’m all right.  Are you?”

“Yes.  I’m loving it.  What happens next?  Do the stairs wind round and round till we get to the top?”

“Yes.  There are about six hundred of ’em.  Feel equal to it?”

“Equal to anything,” said Toby promptly.  “Let me go first!”

“Why don’t I go and get a light?” said Bunny.

“Because you’re not to.  Because it’s heaps more fun without.  Besides, there’s lots of light up there.  Now then?  Are you ready?  Come on!  Let’s go!”

Indomitable resolution sounded in Toby’s voice.  She drew herself free from Bunny’s hold, and began to mount.

“You know it’s haunted, don’t you?” said Bunny cheerily.  “A beautiful lady was once captured and imprisoned in this turret in the dear old days when everyone did those things.  She had to choose between throwing herself from the battlements and marrying her wicked captor—­an ancestor of Charlie’s, by the way.  She did the latter and then died of a broken heart.  They always did, you know.  Her poor little ghost has wandered up and down this stair ever since.”