er there!

She glanced at Lily, radiant with the excitement and pleasure, and
decided that she, too, would find some boy to be interested in. Turning
around at the mention of her own name, she found David Conner waiting to
put her name on his dance program.

The Scouts played games and danced until ten o'clock, and then Miss
Phillips announced that refreshments were ready in the basement.

"The basement!" repeated Frances, in amazement. "Do you mean that,
Captain?"

"Yes; and we are going to reach it through the underground connection
between the gym and the main building," explained Miss Phillips; "so we
shall walk over to the main hall and go down the cellar and then follow
single file through this dark passage to the basement. You may see
something weird!"

"Who's going to lead?" asked Ruth, her eyes shining with excitement.

"We'll draw lots!"

And, by the irony of chance, the part fell to Doris Sands, the most
timid girl in the troop.

"Oh, Captain, I'll die of fright!" she protested.

"It's only play, Doris! You won't mind."

Laughing and chatting gaily they strolled in groups across the driveway
to the main building; then down the narrow cellar steps at the rear of
the hall, and across the cellar to a dark passage.

"Here we are!" announced Miss Phillips, calling everyone to a halt. "Now
get in single file."

Doris went first, with Roger Harris behind; then came Ruth, Jack
Wilkinson, Marjorie, and Lily--all eager for the adventure. Forming a
long chain with their right hands on the shoulders in front, they
advanced cautiously. After the first few steps, the passage became
lower, and pitch-black; they had to bend down and feel their way step by
step as they went.

"Oh!" shrieked Doris, stopping suddenly. "Look! Ugh!"

Roger and Ruth, peering around her shoulder, caught sight of a pair of
gleaming eyes piercing through the darkness.

"It's a cat!" cried Roger, reassuringly. "But how in the world did you
succeed in keeping it there?"

"I tied a chicken-bone to a stone," answered Miss Phillips. "And nothing
will induce pussy to leave."

Frightened by the voices, the cat fled immediately, and the procession
continued. In a minute or two, Doris caught sight of a ghost. But this
time she was not really frightened.

"I know it's only a dummy!" she said. "I'm not afraid any more!"

But when the ghost actually began to stretch out its arms and move
towards her, Doris admitted that she was scared, a