CHAPTER XVI
A STRANGE NIGHT
The girls had one sharp disappointment. They heard a few sounds belowand called. Presently they saw a man walking from the back of the houseand carrying two pails. Jannet called, and Nell, looking out overJannet's shoulder, called also, almost in a panic for fear that theywould not be heard.
"It's the man bringing the milk for morning," Jannet explained. "I hadforgotten him. O Mr. Hoppel! Whoo-hoo! Whoo-hoo!"
Nell added to the pathos by shrieking "Help! Help!" She increased thefervor of her cries as the man kept right on, not even turning. Jannetlearned afterwards that Mr. Hoppel was "as deaf as a post," but theydid not know that at this time. Jannet had not yet brought herself tothe point of crying "help," and felt that she was giving the enemyopportunity to rejoice over her by calling at all. But Nell thoughtthat it was no time for pride.
"Suppose there's a fire," Nell suggested.
"Suppose there isn't," Jannet returned. "If there is, Nell, we'll takesome of those sheets in the chest, knot them together, tie one end tothe little bed, and let ourselves down through the window. I guess wecould squeeze through, couldn't we?"
Plump Nell looked dubiously at the window, but decided that she could.Then she suggested that they try it now, but Jannet thought that itwould be a needless risk, and that it would be hard to get startedsafely over a projecting part of a roof.
So far as they knew, no one else came within call. It began to growdark. At one low growl of distant thunder Nell remarked that they were"in for it," a thunderstorm "in the attic." Jannet said, "Oh, no Nell,only outside," but Nell smiled only faintly at this.
Jannet, however, decided that it was time for some action before itgrew too dark. Hopping up, she drew the cover from the small bed andrapidly removed its bundles to the tops of various trunks. "What areyou doing, Jannet?" Nell asked.
"I'm going to fix a place for you to lie down if we can't raise anybodyfor a while."
The bundles off, Jannet brushed and wiped with a newspaper, about thewoodwork and the mattress which was covered tightly with muslin.Opening the big chest, she spread a sheet widely first, then laid ontop a folded comforter. "There isn't the sign of a spring, Nell, butyou can pretend that we're camping."
Nell jumped up to help. Jannet spread on more sheets and a lightcomforter, though Nell protested that it would be too hot. The attic sofar had not been too uncomfortably warm, for Jannet had found anotheropening at the other end, a round, glass window, which had given acirculation of air. But it _was_ clouding up. In a storm they mighthave to close both openings. Truly this was "the limit," they bothconcluded. In a storm, who would hear them? Paulina would come homelate and go to bed. The "folks" expected to be out late anyway, and ifthe storm was too bad, who knew when they _would_ get home?
"Well, we'll be missed at breakfast anyway," said Nell. Jannet saidnothing. They might be supposed to be over-sleeping. However, she'd get_somebody_ awake in the morning!
It grew darker. Jannet fixed a comforter in the rickety chair forherself and drew it near the bed, for which she had even found a pillowin the chest. With the chair tipped back and her feet on a box, shewould be ready to "enjoy the evening," she informed Nell. Neither saida word about a ghost, but Nell sat close to Jannet on the little bedand watched the shadows grow darker and darker till they swallowed upthe dim light in the attic. "Don't lose your flashlight, Nell," warnedJannet.
"Never!"
Both were startled a little later by a scurrying sound back under theeaves at a little distance. Jannet flashed her light in that direction,to find a bright-eyed gray squirrel sitting up as squirrels do, mostsurprised at the light. "Nell!" exclaimed Jannet, "that accounts forsome of the noises in the attic, doesn't it? They are not rats, butsquirrels."
Jannet had scarcely said this when there was a curious sound again.Something dropped, "tap, tap tap, tap." "A nut falling down some steps!And where are the steps?"
Jannet asked Nell if she had the nerve to go back in the attic with heragain, but Nell said that she thought a squirrel had dropped the nutbetween the rafters or in the wall somewhere. "I heard a few scamperingover the roof this afternoon," she added.
There was a sighing sound in the trees outside. More squirrels seemedto gather in the attic's far corners; but they were not tame enough tocome near the girls, who concluded that it would be well to eat theirlast cooky and drink up the lemonade before they had any smallvisitors. Jannet was more nervous about the squirrels than Nell, whowas used to them. A cool air blew through the attic now, but when thedrops of rain began to blow in at the window, Jannet bravely went backto close the other one. This they could watch.
"It was pretty spooky, Nell, creeping back there to shut that window,but I saw where the squirrels get in, not far from just over my room. Isaw one cute little chap on a rafter."
The wind grew more violent and seemed to change direction, for no morerain came in at the window, though as yet there was little sound ofrain on the roof.
But with the veering of the wind there began that weird sound whichthey had heard once before, and Jannet, half laughing, half startled,exclaimed, "The 'Dutch Banshee'! Nell, we can locate it!"
"Not I, thank you," said Nell, putting her head down into the pillow.But Jannet turned on her light and stood up, listening. Nell clung toher hand, but Jannet said, "I'm not forgetting, Nell, that I came tothe attic to find out things. That sound is made somewhere here and thewind does it!"
"All right; if you are going anywhere, I'm going too. I'm not going tosit alone in the dark."
Following the sound, the girls carefully made their way back, flashingtheir lights into this corner and that, until they felt a little airblowing on them and saw a piece of brown sacking waving a little in acorner. "That is an awful place to get to," said Jannet, "but I'mgoing. Turn your flash, Nell, on the rafters,--please."
"Wait," said Nell, interested now. "There are some boards. Let's putthem across. You'll have to crawl there, it's so low, and you'll gothrough that unfloored place if you don't look out."
Jannet accordingly waited, while the tiresome task of placing boardssafely across was undertaken. Then she crawled, in the light of her ownand Nell's flashlights, till she reached the cranny from which the loudsounds were coming. She pulled aside the piece of sacking and madesigns to Nell of her success. Nell wondered what she was doing, for shesaw Jannet take her handkerchief from the little pocket of her now mostdilapidated and dusty sport frock. But the wild shrieking stoppedalmost instantly, and Jannet, with a broad grin, turned around in hersitting posture, to hitch herself back on the boards.
"It's the funniest contraption you ever saw, Nell. It will pay you inthe morning to crawl over there to see it. There is a bottle, and somewires are stretched across,--I left them as they were, but I stuffed myhanky in the bottle. It's that that whistled. So that is one thing thatwe needn't be afraid of, our 'Dutch Banshee'! Isn't that good! Hurrahfor our 'ghos'es' that Daphne talked about."
Even Nell grinned at the discovery. She was less afraid now. The "DutchBanshee" was discovered.
Rather wearily the girls went back to what Jannet called the"respectable" part of the attic. "I'm going to stretch out, Jannet,"said Nell, "though I am ashamed to take the most comfortable place."
"You needn't be. It's little enough I can do for my company,--starvingher to death and entertaining her in the attic!"
Nell did stretch out upon the little bed, with its dark spindles, headand foot, and Jannet rather carefully disposed herself in the armchair.It creaked even with her slight weight, but did not break. It was of nouse to watch for Paulina's coming. The storm was upon them and Jannetonly hoped that none of the chimneys would be struck by lightning. Itwasn't much fun to be in the attic in a storm. But the electrical partof the storm was not severe, though the rain poured in sheets and beatupon the roof till they thought it must give way somewhere. Thanks toMr. Van Meter's care of his property, there was not
a leak.
"I'm sorry for the poor folks," sleepily said Jannet after they hadbeen listening to the rain without speaking for a while. But Nell wassound asleep and her hand limply fell from Jannet's clasp.
It was a relief to Jannet to have Nell asleep, for she felt muchresponsibility. She dozed off herself, but was awake at every differentsound. The situation, to say the least, was peculiar. Jannet speculatedmuch about who had locked them in, in intervals of dozing.
Suddenly there was a sound at the door. Jannet was wide awake in amoment, nor was she much surprised by what followed. "The third time isthe charm," she said to herself. "Enter the Ghost, if I'm not mistaken."
Slowly the key turned. Jannet fairly held her breath. The door wassoftly opened and closed. So much Jannet knew in spite of the rain, towhose drippings her ears were now accustomed.
Next, a faint shaded light showed, "so she won't trip on the atticfloor," Jannet decided, but it was not pleasant. A ghostly whitefigure, showing dimly in the tiny light, moved from the door to thecenter of the space where the girls were. A low moaning began. "Her,"thought Jannet, setting her teeth. "It isn't Jan, then, not this time.She's got a sheet over her."
But it was not a sheet, as Jannet soon saw, when filmy, scarf-likedraperies floated out and the figure whirled past, moving back andforth, not far enough from the door for Jannet to risk darting betweenthe Ghost and the exit, as she thought of doing, though it might seemto be deserting Nell to the enemy. But Jannet wanted freedom, and helpto find out who was this ghost.
"What are you, most noble ancestress?" suddenly queried Jannet, tryingto keep the mocking note from her voice.
At this the ghost retreated, for Jannet had descended from her chair,and Nell, startled awake, gave one cry and sprang up. "Come here,Nell," soothingly said Jannet, "it's only our family ghost, poorthing." Then she whispered, as Nell reached her, "get outside the doorand keep it open for me; but if she is harmless, I may try to catchher."
"For pity's sake, don't!" whispered Nell, half awake. But she obeyedJannet, running for the door as if a dozen ghosts were after her. Theghost started to follow, but as Jannet's very palpable figure putitself in the way, the ghost changed its mind and retreated stillfarther into the attic. Jannet began to follow it, slowly, butsteadily, not using her flashlight but grasping it firmly in her righthand for use either in its legitimate line or as a weapon, should theghost make attack.
The moaning increased and the occasional sobs, with writhings andbendings, as the ghost floated backward now. "Nice Ghostie,--doespretty dance for Jannet!" And suddenly Jannet flashed her light full onthe figure, rapidly taking it in from head to foot. No shadow was this,to be seen through, and a very stout pair of low shoes were not wellconcealed under the filmy draperies.
Obviously the ghost was not prepared for a flashlight. Immediately thefigure whirled about, the light disappearing as it was held in front ofher. Jannet could see the faint light ahead on the floor, but she lostno time in following it. It was difficult, though, to make time withoutbeing familiar with the place in the dark and to illumine both thefloor at her feet and the flying figure of the ghost, who knew whereshe was going. All at once Jannet stumbled over a pile of carpet andfell, scraping her elbow and losing hold of her flashlight, which fellsomewhere with a crash.
"Nell," Jannet called, "lock the door on this side, and leave the keyin it, and then come to me slowly, seeing that no one passes you. I'velost my flashlight."
Nell had heard the crash and now most thoroughly awake, she took thekey which had locked them in, though Jannet had pressed her bunch ofkeys into her hand before, locked the door on the inside as directed,and came waving her flashlight from side to side. "Isn't a soul that Ican see, Jannet," she said, "What has become of the ghost?"
"That is what I want to find out," said Jannet, rising from the pile ofcarpet, while the light played over it and beyond to a gaping hole."Look!"
A push by the ghost had been sufficient to remove the old carpet from atrapdoor, which the ghost had not had time to close. Somewhere in thedepths she had disappeared.
Jannet brushed the dust from her hands and asked Nell to hold the lightfor her while she found her own. "It flew down after the lady you see.I hope that it is still fit to use."
"It probably isn't. Take mine."
"No, you keep it and light me down. If anything happens to me, you canfind your way back and out."
"If anything is going to happen, you'd better not start."
"Very wise remark, Nell; but don't you want to find out about it?"
"Yes, I do. I'm so provoked at that ghost I could just--I don't knowwhat! You _did_ speak of a trapdoor, but nearer the partition."
It was some little distance to the first step, but Jannet sat on theedge and let herself down without trouble to that. Several more stepsin this very narrow space brought her to a tiny platform. On this herflashlight lay, apparently unharmed, for its light went on as usual."All right, Nell. There's a sort of well with a ladder down one way,and I see a bit of light through a partition here." But even as Jannetspoke the light went out and she heard a rustle inside. Hurriedly shemoved her light up and down to find a way of getting within. Ah, aharmless looking nail protruded. "Come on, Nell, we can get in, Ithink."
"But can we get out?"
"That is so. I believe that you'd better go and waken Paulina. I'mgoing on, but I may get caught somewhere, so you can tear the housedown looking for me."
Nell hesitated. "Go on, Nell,--it is the only sensible thing to do."
Jannet was not particularly sorry, it must be admitted, to have theadventure by herself. She was not afraid now, for the ghost did notwant her identity known. Why hadn't she told Nell to have Paulina takeup the hunt with her? Perhaps Nell would think of it.
The sliding door here was easily found, though one not looking for itmight not have thought of it, and might have concluded that the ladderwas the way of a fugitive. Like part of a double door, a portion slidaside, for the apparent nail operated a spring. The opening was notlarge. Jannet stooped to enter where a musty smell met her, as well asa familiar scent of some sort of perfume.
Here was an odd little cubby to be sure, but the ghost had gone on.Jannet received an impression of a box of a room with a long shelf orberth running its length and something like a table in front of it. Onthis lay a thin scarf and a filmy dress with yards of material lying ina mass. The ghost had left her costume, then. Oh, if she could only_catch_ her! Yet Jannet's purpose did not include touching her.
Ahead was an opening, and Jannet had need to be careful of her steps,as she swung her light around the opening before her--to find stairsagain! Oh, _here_ was where the ghost had come down, in the wall of herroom by the big chimney! It was a circular stairway, built in anunbelievably small space.
But Jannet was light and quick. In a moment she was at the bottom. Upand down before her again she swept the light. Good. There was a springin plain sight. Now she knew how it was done, but she left the panelwide open behind her as she entered her own room, put on theelectricity, and took the precaution to look hurriedly into herbathroom, into her closet and under her bed before she opened her doorand dashed into the hall.
Jannet felt that she was too late, but she flew across the corridorwhich led into the new part and down the hall there to the room at theend where Hepsy and Vittoria slept. No light showed under the door. Allwas quiet.
Ordinarily Jannet was too considerate to waken any one in the middle ofthe night. But this time she thought that she had sufferedinconvenience enough to be excused, even if she wakened the wrongpeople. Firmly she rapped upon the door. At first there was noresponse. Jannet rapped again, though much inclined to give it up, nowthat she had time to think. Perhaps neither of the girls did this._Could_ it be Paulina after all?
But while Jannet was wondering whether to knock again or not, the lightwent on and the door opened. There stood Hepsy in her long white gown,her short hair done up in curlers almost like those of a fashion longgone by
. This was how Hepsy achieved that remarkable effect, then.
Hepsy looked scared. "What's the matter, Miss Jannet?"
"Oh, nothing. I'm just looking for a ghost."
Hepsy looked more bewildered than ever. Jannet continued, "Where'sVittoria?"
"She said she was not coming home to-night,--but, but I wasn't to tell.Her beau was taking her to the movie and she always stays with one ofthe girls, I mean, she has done it _once_ or _twice_."
"Don't worry, Hepsy. I'm not concerned with whether Vittoria stays outor not. I just wanted to know if she were here. I'll tell you whyto-morrow. Just go back to bed. I'm sorry I wakened you. By the way,what perfume does Vittoria use?"
"Why, why that's funny, I guess she uses mine that my aunt gave me formy birthday. It's black narcissus." Hepsy spoke with much pride. "It'sawful sweet. There it is on the dresser."
"If you don't mind, I'll take a sniff"; and Jannet ran into the room,then out again in a jiffy. "Thanks, Hepsy. You have helped me verymuch."
Quietly Jannet stole back, past Cousin Di's room, over into the oldpart once more. She found Paulina and Nell coming out of her room withanxious faces. For once Paulina did not look stolid. "Where have youbeen?" inquired Nell. "I had a time to waken Paulina, and then she hadheard the ghost and wouldn't go near the attic, so we finally came toyour room, to find the lights on, and you nowhere to be seen, and thispanel open! Say, Jannet, I climbed up into that room, and Paulina afterme!"
"Did you find the ghost's costume there?"
"No! What do you mean?"
"It was there, and when we find the one who has that, we'll find theghost. Did you meet anyone in the halls?"
"Not a soul."
"I am terribly disappointed, then, though I feel sure that I know whoit is."
"Who?" asked Paulina, silent until now.
"Perhaps I ought not to say surely till I actually find her."
Then Jannet asked what rooms were vacant and where some one could hide,and she found that they had made a tour of them all, looking for her."But did you look in Jan's den?" she asked.
Finding that they had not been on the attic floor at all, she askedthem to follow her. Locking and bolting her door, she led the way tothe attic by the new route of the secret stairs. It was true,--thefilmy ghost dress was gone. Thoroughly they searched the attic,quietly, too, Nell standing at the attic door on guard. Then Paulinaturned on the light in the upper hall by Jan's den and unlocked Jan'sdoor. She understood dimly why Jannet had wanted to search the atticagain, but she could not see why it was necessary to enter here.
Another disappointment checked Jannet's search. She felt so sure thatthe ghost would be found here, spending the rest of the night. The roomwas empty, so far as human occupancy was concerned.
Jannet stepped in and looked around at the evidences of Jan'smechanical turn of mind. But with a little exclamation she pointed tothe bed. Some one had been sitting there, and there lay a tangled wispof something on the floor, showing under the long cover which hung overthe side of Jan's cot.
"She was too much in a hurry," triumphantly said Jannet, kneeling downon the floor and reaching under the bed. Nell, thinking that the ghostwas found, drew back with a little squeal. But Jannet drew out only thefilmy mass of the ghost's dress.
Paulina quickly took hold of it with interest. "One o' your ma'sdresses that she was some sort of a furriner with. Somebody else hasbeen into the trunks, then!"
"I'm terribly disappointed, Paulina, for I thought that we would surelyfind her, after I knew that she had gone after her costume. Then Ithought that she would stay in the house. I want to tell you, Paulina,that I went to the room where Hepsy and Vittoria sleep and that Hepsyis alone."
Paulina, stiff and dour, gave Jannet a look of understanding and noddedher head. "It may be," she said.