Part 19 (1/2)
”Nerves!” chuckled Penny.
Louise paused beside the crystal ball. ”What's this thing?” she asked suspiciously.
”Only Father Benedict's crystal globe. Take a look and see what's doing in the cellar!”
”You're joking!”
”Guess I am,” Penny agreed. Arising, she joined Louise and for a long moment peered intently into the depths of the crystal ball. Seeing nothing in the gla.s.s she muttered in disgust: ”Bunk!”
”How does one reach the bas.e.m.e.nt and crypt?” Louise inquired.
”According to a plan I saw at Mr. Eckenrod's, a stairway leads down from the far end of the cloister. Say! Why not do a little exploring while Father Benedict is away?”
”He wouldn't like it.”
”We'll never have a better chance.” Crossing the room in long strides, Penny tried to open the door.
The k.n.o.b turned readily, but the door would not open.
”Lou,” she exclaimed in dismay, ”Father Benedict certainly played a nice trick on us! We're locked in!”
CHAPTER 13 _OLD JULIA'S WARNING_
Badly frightened, Louise came quickly to her chum's side.
”Are you sure the door is locked?” she asked nervously. ”Maybe it's only stuck.”
”It's locked all right. We'll do no exploring today.”
”Let's scream for help! We've got to get out of here!”
”Father Benedict is in the bas.e.m.e.nt and wouldn't hear us,” Penny said.
”And he may have locked us in on purpose too! But I heard no key turn in the lock.”
”Neither did I.”
”The door may have an automatic catch.”
”Probably that's so,” Penny agreed to keep her chum from worrying.
”Father Benedict should be back soon. Let's not let him know we even noticed the door was locked.”
”Do you think he fastened it on purpose?”
”He may have,” Penny said slowly. ”Perhaps he didn't want us to wander about the monastery while he was gone.”
”What if he doesn't come back?”