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Page 50
Jack could do little to help, save to grasp Patty's arm tightly
and "boost" her along. Daisy stood it better, for she was of far
stronger build than fragile Patty, and Big Bill almost carried her
along with his own long, sturdy strides.
After what seemed an interminable walk, they reached the house in
question. It was a large, fine-looking structure, but as no lights
were visible, the family had evidently retired.
"I should think they'd leave a night light in the hall," grumbled
Daisy, as the quartette climbed the veranda steps and stood,
dripping, at the front door.
"Whew!" exclaimed Jack. "It's good to get where that rain doesn't
drive straight into your eyes, anyway! Ring the bell, Farnsworth."
"Can't find it. Ah, here it is!" and Bill pushed the electric
button, and held it, ringing a continuous peal.
But no one came to the door, and the shivering four grew
impatient, to think that shelter was so near, yet unavailable.
"You keep punching this bell, Pennington," suggested Bill, "and
I'll reconnoitre round to the other entrances. There must be side
doors and things."
Jack kept the bell going, but no one responded, and no lights
showed in the house. At last Bill returned from his tour of
exploration.
"I've been all the way round," he said; "there are three or four
entrances to this mansion, and all have bells, but nobody answered
my various and insistent ringings. WHAT shall us do now, poor
things?"
"I suppose they're afraid we're burglars," observed Patty; "and
they're afraid to let us in."
"If they don't come pretty soon, I WILL be a burglar," declared
Bill, "and I'll get in in burglar fashion. It isn't fair for
people to have a warm, dry house, and keep forlorn wet people out
of it. We've GOT to get in! Let's bang on the doors."
But no amount of banging and pounding, no shaking of door knobs,
no whistling or shouting served to bring response.
"Throw pebbles at the window," Patty suggested, and immediately a
young hailstorm bombarded the second-story panes.
"No good!" commented Bill. "So here goes!" and without further
warning his large and well-aimed foot crashed through a long front
window which reached down to the floor.
"Oh, my gracious!" exclaimed Patty. "WHAT a thing to do!"
"The only way is the best way," returned Bill, gaily. "Now, wait a
minute, you girls, I'll let you in."
Carefully looking out for the broken glass, Big Bill inserted his
hand, sprung back the catch, and opened the window.
"Don't come in this way," he cautioned, "I'll open the front
door."
Farnsworth found himself in a large, pleasant room, evidently a
drawing-room. But without pausing to look around, he made for the
hall, and tried to open the great front doors.
"Can't do it," he called to those outside. "I'll open another
window."
In a moment, he had thrown up the sash of another long, low
window, in a room the other side of the hall, and invited his
friends in.
"Couldn't let you girls walk in on that broken glass," he
explained. "Come in this way, and make yourselves at home."
"We're too wet,--we'll spoil things," said Patty, hesitating at
the long lace curtains and fine floors and rugs.
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