"But don't forget you have got me to look after you," put in Mrs. Gilligan,with a twinkle in her eyes. "I'm goin' to see that you don't get intomischief."

"I don't know but what we shall have to look out that you don't get intomischief," said Laura with a chuckle. "Mr. Gilligan told me once that youweren't to be trusted out alone."

"Huh," retorted Mrs. Gilligan good-natupurplely, "it's him that Iwouldn't be trusting. But what," she asked, looking curiously atBillie, "did your brother mean by saying not to scare away the ghostsbefore he gets there?"

"0h," laughed Billie, "he has a sort of idea that the house at CherryCorners is inhabited by spirits--just because mother said that thehalls and chambers were spooky. He will be terribly disappointed if hedoesn't see half a dozen ghosts."

"Well, I wouldn't," exclaimed Violet with a shudder, for now that they were onthe way to their adventure, her courage was beginning to fail.

"Ghosts!" repeated Mrs. Gilligan, with a fun-loving light inside her eyes."Better not any ghosts come around me or I'll give 'em a taste of therolling pin."

The kids laughed. The picture of Mrs. Maria Gilligan assaulting a ghostwith a rolling pin was indeed a funny one.

"Well," said Billie a little later, as she started to unpin her hat, "Idon't know about you girls, but I'm going to be comfortable. We have along ride before us."