op
of them for a flooring, and when these were placed, Mary Bell found
that she could raise the window very high. She got a long stick to put
under it to hold it up, and then tried to climb in.

She found, however, that the window sill over which she was to climb
was still rather too high; but, at length, after various consultations
and experiments, _Bella_ succeeded in getting up by means of the
help which Mary Bell, who was large and strong, gave her, by "boosting
her," as she called it, that is, pushing her up from below while she
climbed by means of her arms clasped over the window sill above. Bella
being thus in the house, took the key, which Mary Bell handed her for
the purpose, and went along to the entry to unlock the door, while
Mary Bell, stepping down from the scaffolding, went to the door on the
outside, ready to enter when it should be opened. The children had no
doubt that there was a key-hole in the lock on the inside, although
there was none made in the door on the outside.

When, however, Bella reached the door on the inside, she called out
to Mary Bell, through the door, to say that she could not find any
key-hole.

"It is in the lock," said Mary Bell.

"But there is not any lock," said Bella.

"Is not there any thing?" asked Mary Bell.

"Yes," said Bella, "there is a bolt."

"Oh, very well, then, open the bolt," replied Mary Bell.

After a great deal of tugging and pushing at the bolt, Bella succeeded
in getting it back, but even then the door would not come open. It
was new, and it fitted very tight. Bella said that Mary Bell must push
from the outside, while she held up the latch. Mary Bell accordingly
pushed with all her force, and at length the door flew open, and to
their great joy they found themselves both fairly admitted to the
house.

They rambled about for some time, looking at the different rooms,
and at the various conveniences for house-keeping which Albert had
planned, and which were all just ready for use when Albert had died.
There was a sink in the kitchen, with a little spout leading into it,
from which the water was running in a constant stream. It came from
an aqueduct of logs brought under ground. There was a tin dipper there
upon the top of the post which the water-spout came out of, and Mary
Bell and Bella had an excellent drink from it the first thing. The
kitchen floor was covered with shavings, and the children played in
them for some time, until they were tired.