Penny Nichols and the Mystery of the Lost Key Part 9

The girls admitted that they had not had any food since lunch time. Caleb led them to the kitchen, showing them where canned goods were stored.

"If you're handy with a can opener there's no need to starve," he declared.

The girls thanked him for his trouble. Rosanna timidly ventured a few questions concerning her uncle.

"Did you never see him?" Caleb asked.

"No, once I wrote him a letter but he never answered. I've heard Uncle Jacob was very eccentric."

"Some might call him that. He liked to live alone and mind his own business which is more than most folks do. He traveled a lot too. I guess he must have visited every country in the world." He added slyly: "If Jacob _is_ dead, you'll come into possession of some valuable things."

"I hope that nothing has happened to him," Rosanna said sincerely. "I don't really care for riches. All I want is a home."

"Jacob Winters never liked girls."

"I know," Rosanna sighed. "I guess that's why he never answered my letter."

"You counted a lot on the inheritance, didn't you?" Caleb questioned shrewdly.

Rosanna flushed but did not deny the accusation.

"I thought that it might make my future more secure," she acknowledged.

"Since Mother died I've battered around from one rooming house to another. But even if I don't come into the inheritance, I'll be glad that my uncle is still alive."

"I don't know that he is," Caleb Eckert said hastily. "He was alive when he sent that postcard from Africa. Since then we've had no word from him here at Raven Ridge."

While the girls prepared food for themselves, Caleb sat by the kitchen stove watching. He showed them how to start a fire in the range but would not partake of supper when it was cooked.

"Had mine four hours ago. I'll show you where you can sleep and be getting on home."

"Do you live near here?" Penny asked curiously.

"Not far. If the rain would let up you could see my cabin through the dining room window. It's perched on the edge of the cliff, overlooking Lake Chippewa."

Rosanna remarked that the scenery around Raven Ridge must be beautiful.

"'Tis," Caleb agreed enthusiastically. "You'll have to walk down to the lake in the morning. There are some mighty pretty trails to follow too."

"If we have time before we go, we'll surely explore," Penny promised.

Caleb conducted them upstairs, opening the door of one of the bedrooms.

It was stuffy and dusty but otherwise ready for occupancy. Penny turned back the coverlet of the bed and found that it was equipped with clean sheets and blankets. The furniture was ma.s.sive and all hand carved.

"I guess you can make out here for one night," Caleb said.

"We'll be very comfortable," Penny a.s.sured him.

Returning to the lower floor, Caleb lighted his lantern and prepared to leave. With his hand on the door k.n.o.b he turned to face the girls again.

"Oh, yes, there was something I forgot to mention. If you hear queer noises in the night don't be upset."

"Queer noises?" Penny echoed.

Caleb nodded soberly.

"Folks around here claim the house is haunted but I never took stock in such stories myself. I just thought I'd warn you."

And before the girls could recover from their astonishment, he firmly closed the door, disappearing into the rain.

CHAPTER VI Midnight Visitors

"I wish," Rosanna commented emphatically, "that I had never brought you to this queer old house."

Penny laughed as she went over to the fireplace and dropped on another stick of wood. She stood watching the sparks fly up the chimney.

"I think Caleb Eckert was only trying to be funny when he warned us of ghosts," she declared. "At any rate, I'm too tired and sleepy to care much whether the place is haunted or not."

"It's a good night to sleep," Rosanna admitted, going to the window. "I believe the storm is getting worse."

Rain pounded steadily upon the roof and the wind was rising. It whistled weirdly around the corners of the house. The tall maple trees which shaded the front porch bent and twisted and snapped.

For a time the girls sat before the fire. Presently Penny suggested that they retire.

"I don't believe I can sleep a wink tonight," Rosanna protested. "Even though Caleb Eckert said it was all right for us to stay here, I don't feel entirely easy about it."

"I don't see why not," Penny protested as they mounted the creaking stairs to their bedroom. "According to the letter, you've inherited the house. And you have a key."

"I had a key you mean. I can't understand how or where I lost it."

In thinking back over the activities of the day, Rosanna could not recall taking either the key or the letter from her purse. However, several times for one purpose or another she had opened her pocketbook, and it was quite likely that the articles had fallen out un.o.bserved. She thought possibly she might find them on the floor of Penny's car. She intended to search in the morning.

The upstairs room was damp and chilly. The girls hurriedly prepared to retire. Penny put up the window, snapped out the light and made a great running leap which landed her in bed.

"Listen to the wind howl," she murmured, snuggling drowsily into her pillow. "Just the night for ghosts to be abroad."

"Don't!" Rosanna shivered, gripping her friend's hand. "I can almost imagine that someone is coming up the stairway now! I'm afraid of this lonely old house."

"I won't let any mean old ghost get you," Penny chuckled teasingly. "I love stormy nights."

Rosanna lay awake long after her companion had fallen asleep. She listened restlessly to the crash of the tree branches against the roof, the creaking of old timbers and boards. But the steady beat of rain on the windowpanes had a soothing effect upon tense nerves. Presently she dozed.

Suddenly she found herself wide awake. She sat upright in bed, straining to hear. She was convinced that some unusual sound had aroused her.

Then she heard it again. A peculiar pounding noise downstairs.