lm and self-controlled, told her story, to which
Marjorie added her own interpretation.

"But you'll miss the hike!" exclaimed Florence.

"Oh, are you going right away?" asked Alice, dolefully.

"This very afternoon!" replied Miss Phillips. "I'm sorry, Alice, but the
arrangements are all made. Anyhow, we'll soon have another!"

The leaves were falling, and the air was quite sharp; the Scouts wore
heavy sweaters and woolen caps to protect them from the cold.

"We'll look for nuts," said Miss Phillips. "Remember our lesson on
edible plants?"

"Yes, indeed!" they all cried. "But you didn't tell us anything about
nuts."

"We'll make it a game," answered the Captain. "Each girl who finds a new
variety will get a point. Whoever has the greatest number of points by
the time we reach the haunted house, wins!"

"How are we to know the haunted house, Captain?" asked Doris. "I've
never seen it. Is there a story about it?"

"There is really no way of telling that the house is haunted, Doris; it
looks like any other house, except that it is larger, and was once upon
a time much finer than any of the other houses for miles around. I have
seen it on a number of occasions, and I have heard the legend that is
still told about it; but I've never been inside, so I'm rather curious
to see what it's like. That's why I suggested that we have our suppers
there."

"But does anyone live there?" asked Lily.

"No," replied Miss Phillips; "it has not been occupied for years and
years--not since anybody around this locality can remember. Some of the
uneducated people hereabouts still believe it is haunted, I understand;
but it is rather unreasonable to suppose that any of the more cultured
ones take any stock in the old story. While the fact that it was
supposed to be haunted may have kept people from living in it a good
many years ago, I think the real reason it is vacant nowadays is because
it is so large that it would require a fortune to fix it up--it never
seems to have had any care taken of it--and another fortune to keep it
going after it had been made habitable. I believe it is still owned by
the heirs of the original owner, who live in England, and that the
estate is looked after by a firm in Philadelphia, which rents the ground
to the farmers. Why, a few years ago, I passed by the house often, and
after I had heard the legend, I determined to go inside, but I could
never get up enough courage."

"Did you use to live around