think I
have explained myself.--Come along, girls; we have our work cut out for
us. It would not do for that poor Leuchy to be cold this night. She
must have a living, warming thing to comfort her, poor Leuchy! Come
along; there's no time to spare.'

The girls, headed by Hollyhock, left the room in a group, but for some
reason Jasmine remained behind. She was very much distressed by her
sister's manner of going on, and what followed would not have taken
place had she gone to the ghost's hut and joined in the 'conspiracy;'
but the other girls were now fairly mad with excitement, and Margaret
Drummond, a Scots girl, was so much in love with Hollyhock that she
would have done anything on earth for her.

[Illustration: The Conspiracy.]

'You are splendid, lassie!' she cried.

The fire was quite out in the Summer Parlour, but it glowed warmly in
the ghost's hut.

'It's here I dry his hair, poor fellow,' said Hollyhock, who was now
nearly beside herself with delight. 'Listen to me, girls. You are a
goodly group, and true to the heart's core, true to the soul of the
thing; but I 'm not going to be ruled over by Leuchy, though I don't
mind Barbara, or Dorothy, or that weak little Daisy looking on. It's
Leuchy who 'll get a fright this very night. Now, then, we haven't
long to lose, for the hours for pure enjoyment are few in number. I am
much deceived if we don't find many impediments in our path. Now,
lassies, I 'll show you on the spot what we have got to do. One of us
must go to The Garden, my home, to fetch wee Jean, the kitchen cat; and
another has to beg, borrow, or steal a saucer of cream for the little
beastie. That's about all. I 'll start off at once for the cat; and
you, Gentian, had best get the cream. I have been looking round the
house--don't I know every stone of it?--and you have got to get into
the larder. You know your way to the larder, don't you, Gentian?'

'Yes,' said Gentian, who looked rather frightened.

'Well, never mind, my lass. You have got to do it, and one of these
girls will help you. You were always nimble-witted, and you won't fail
your own sister-born in a conspiracy so innocent and so amusing. While
I 'm off alone for the cat, you other girls will find out the number of
Leuchy's room, and have the nice rich cream ready for poor Jean. She
can sleep with me afterwards. Well, then, off I go! Good-bye,
lassies; good-bye! Oh, I can tell you bogy stories that 'll make