"It's the funniest contraption you ever saw, Nell. It will pay you in the morning to crawl over there to see it. There is a bottle, and some wires are stretched across,--I left them as they were, but I stuffed my hanky in the bottle. It's that that whistled. So that is one thing that we needn't be afraid of, our 'Dutch Banshee'! Isn't that good! Hurrah for our 'ghos'es' that Daphne talked about."
Even Nell grinned at the discovery. She was less afraid now. The "Dutch Banshee" 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,--starving her to death and entertaining her in the attic!"
Nell did stretch out upon the little bed, with its dark spindles, head and foot, and Jannet rather carefully disposed herself in the armchair. It creaked even with her slight weight, but did not break. It was of no use to watch for Paulina's coming. The storm was upon them and Jannet only hoped that none of the chimneys would be struck by lightning. It wasn't much fun to be in the attic in a storm. But the electrical part of the storm was not severe, though the rain poured in sheets and beat upon the roof till they thought it must give way somewhere. Thanks to Mr. Van Meter's care of his property, there was not a leak.
"I'm sorry for the poor folks," sleepily said Jannet after they had been listening to the rain without speaking for a while. But Nell was sound asleep and her hand limply fell from Jannet's clasp.
It was a relief to Jannet to have Nell asleep, for she felt much responsibility. She dozed off herself, but was awake at every different sound. The situation, to say the least, was peculiar. Jannet speculated much about who had locked them in, in intervals of dozing.
Suddenly there was a sound at the door. Jannet was wide awake in a moment, nor was she much surprised by what followed. "The third time is the charm," she said to herself. "Enter the Ghost, if I'm not mistaken."
Slowly the key turned. Jannet fairly held her breath. The door was softly opened and closed. So much Jannet knew in spite of the rain, to whose drippings her ears were now accustomed.