When, however, Bella reached the door on the inside, she called out to Mary Bell, through the door, to say that she could not find any key-hole.

“It is in the lock,” said Mary Bell.

“But there is not any lock,” said Bella.

“Is not there any thing?” asked Mary Bell.

“Yes,” said Bella, “there is a bolt.”

“Oh, very well, then, open the bolt,” replied Mary Bell.

After a great deal of tugging and pushing at the bolt, Bella succeeded in getting it back, but even then the door would not come open.  It was new, and it fitted very tight.  Bella said that Mary Bell must push from the outside, while she held up the latch.  Mary Bell accordingly pushed with all her force, and at length the door flew open, and to their great joy they found themselves both fairly admitted to the house.

They rambled about for some time, looking at the different rooms, and at the various conveniences for house-keeping which Albert had planned, and which were all just ready for use when Albert had died.  There was a sink in the kitchen, with a little spout leading into it, from which the water was running in a constant stream.  It came from an aqueduct of logs brought under ground.  There was a tin dipper there upon the top of the post which the water-spout came out of, and Mary Bell and Bella had an excellent drink from it the first thing.  The kitchen floor was covered with shavings, and the children played in them for some time, until they were tired.  Then they went and got another drink.

When they at last got tired of the kitchen, they went to a window at the back side of the sitting-room, which looked out toward the garden, and commanded also a beautiful prospect beyond.  They opened this window in order to see the garden better.  A fresh and delightful breeze came in immediately, which the children enjoyed very much.  The breeze, however, in drawing through the house, shut all the doors which the children had left open, with a loud noise, and then having no longer any egress, it ceased to come in.  The air seemed suddenly to become calm; the children stood for some time at the window, looking out at the garden, and at the pond, and the mountains beyond.

At length they shut the window again, and went to the door at which they had entered, and found it shut fast.  They could not open it, for there was now no one to push upon the outside.  Mary Bell laughed.  Bella looked very much frightened.

“What shall we do?” said she.  “We can’t get out.”

“Oh, don’t be afraid,” said Mary Bell, “we will get out some way or other.”

She then tried again to open the door, exerting all her strength in pulling upon the latch, but all in vain.  They were finally obliged to give up the attempt as utterly hopeless.

Mary Bell then led the way to the window where Bella had got in, and looked out upon the little scaffolding.  It looked as if the window was too high above the scaffolding for them to get down there safely.  One of them might, perhaps, have succeeded in descending, if the other had been outside to help her down; but as it was, Mary Bell herself did not dare to make the attempt.