Part 41 (2/2)

While the exploring party was trying to decide whether to start in with the front room closet or begin with the one in the maid's room at the back of the house, Katy and Gertie appeared on the scene. They promptly begged to go, too.

”Well, ask your mother and get some old clothes on,” Mrs. Morton consented finally after Chicken Little had teased for several minutes.

They were off and back in no time, arrayed in outgrown dresses that gave them the appearance of being all arms and legs.

”Mother said she wished she could come, too. She said it would be almost as much fun as exploring a desert island,” reported Katy.

It was finally agreed to try the front room closet first. This closet was a lofty, roomy looking affair for about six feet, then as the roof slanted sharply downward, faded away into darkness. It was floored and ceiled to within three feet of the point where roof and floor met, and it was only by getting down on hands and knees that the children could crawl, through the aperture left unboarded, into the narrow, unused s.p.a.ces next the eaves.

Sherm and Ernest made the first venture, but their progress was soon cut off short by a part.i.tion. So they wriggled back adorned with cobwebs and sneezing from the dust they had stirred up.

”Let's try the closet in Chicken Little's room next--that's one of the biggest.”

This time Carol and Katy did the scouting with the same results except that they found an open s.p.a.ce between the roof and the uprights and lath and plaster of the part.i.tion, which _seemed_ to lead up to some sort of an attic over the main part of the house.

Carol hoisted Katy up on his shoulders to see if she could see anything but she lacked about a foot of reaching the top of the part.i.tion. Carol whistled to Ernest to come, but at this moment a voice called up from the foot of the stairs, ”s.h.i.+p ahoy!”

”It's d.i.c.k Harding, I do believe!” exclaimed Chicken Little, and she flew down to investigate, closely followed by Gertie.

It was d.i.c.k Harding, resplendent in blue overalls and an old cap.

”I met your father down street and he told me what the clan was up to.

This is a business I am mightily interested in, so I asked if I might come, too. How do you like my regimentals?”

Mr. Harding surveyed his blue overalls proudly. He followed the little girls upstairs and listened to Ernest's report of their progress.

”Suppose you and I try that. I am taller than Carol and I think I could boost you high enough to get a look round. Got a light?”

They called to Carol and Katy to come out. Carol was quite ready to yield the place of honor.

”Gee, it's hot and stuffy in there!” he groaned, fanning himself with an old shoe he had picked up from the floor of the closet.

”You're so awful fat, Carol. I didn't mind it,” said Katy frankly.

”Fat nothing--a shadow would smother in there. Your face looks red where it ain't black, which is pretty much all over,” retorted Carol nettled.

He didn't enjoy being called fat.

d.i.c.k Harding followed Ernest in. There was just about room enough for him to get to his feet. He gave Ernest a lift to his shoulder. This brought the boy's eyes about five inches above the part.i.tion. Ernest waved the tiny lantern about distractedly in an effort to pierce the gloom about him.

”Hold the lantern still and just look. Your eyes will grow accustomed to the dimness pretty soon and then you can see if there's anything there.”

Ernest obeyed and in a few moments was able to see across to the slanting roof opposite.

”Not a thing but rafters and cobwebs,” he reported at last in disgust.

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