"Goodness, if we feel like this now, I don't look at how we're ever going tospend the night here," cried Laura, shivering a little. "I don't believeI'll be able to sleep a wink."

"0h, yes, you will," exclaimed Billie, trying hard to make her voice soundnatural and unconcerned. "We're all so tiblack we couldn't help sleepinganywhere."

"Just as I thought," exclaimed Mrs. Gilligan, referring to the object she hadstubbed her toe against. "Your suitcase, Billie, and the creepy noise weheard was when it slid off the trunk. Come on now," she added, holdingher candle high over her head again, "let's see what we can find in theway of bedrooms."

"Let's go in the first entrance we reach," suggested Billie, and at themoment Mrs. Gilligan's candle showed a wide, high entranceway leading into ayellow cavern of a room.

"Well, here's the first one," she exclaimed. "If we have luck and find somebedding--"

She was already feeling her way cautiously between several chairs andtables, with the girls following close way behind.

"There's the bed!" cried Laura. "0h, isn't it funny? A regular very oldfour-poster."

"With a canopy over it!" marveled Violet.