agreeing. “Sure. I guess we will go. See you tomorrow.”
When the children got outside, Benny was confused. “Why are we going home? Can’t we ask her about my photos?”
Jessie put her arm on Benny’s shoulder. “We’re only going to pretend to leave. We’ll sneak to the other side of the house and see what the two of them are up to.”
When the children came outside, they waved at William.
“See you tomorrow,” Henry called out loudly. Then in a whisper he said, “And probably a whole lot sooner.”
Soon the children were hiking through the woods again. As they circled back, they came up with a plan.
“We have to somehow get upstairs without anyone seeing us,” Henry said. “That way we’ll get a better view around the property. And in old houses, the sound sometimes travels through the heating vents. We might be able to hear what Hilda and William are up to. They seem to spend all their time either outside or downstairs.”
The children hid behind some trees not far from the back of the house. A large clearing stood between the house and the woods. Somehow they were going to have to race through the clearing without being seen.
Jessie took the binoculars to check around the property. “Hilda’s out talking with William near the reflecting pool. Okay now. One by one, we have to scoot into the open and go through the back door. Who wants to go first?”
Benny volunteered. “Say when,” he whispered to Jessie.
“Now!” Jessie said. “They’re facing away from the house. You go, too, Violet. See that room in the tower? We’ll meet you up there. If you hear anyone coming, hide behind the furniture. If you get caught, just say you came back to look for Benny’s camera.” With that, Jessie gave both of the younger children a little push. They were across the lawn in a flash.
“Uh-oh, duck,” Henry told Jessie. “William just turned around. Gee, he’s walking this way. I hope he didn’t see us.”
But William seemed too lost in his own thoughts to notice Jessie and Henry crouching in the bushes. He passed just a couple feet away from them on his way to the gardening shed.
“It’s now or never,” Jessie whispered to Henry. “Hilda is putting her sketch pad and pencils back into her tote bag. She’s going to turn around any minute.”
Henry glanced up at the main house. “Look, Benny and Violet are waving us that the coast is clear.” Henry grabbed his sister’s hand. The two of them raced across the clearing and disappeared into the house.
CHAPTER 9
Skeleton Keys
Henry and Jessie took the stone steps to the tower two at a time. Light on their feet, they didn’t make a sound until they reached a landing. There they stopped to catch their breath near a small window.
“We’re safe for now,” Henry whispered. “William is in the gardening shed. Hilda’s outside somewhere.”
Jessie leaned against the wall. “My heart is about to burst out of me,” she said. “We made it. Let’s find Benny and Violet. They were pretty brave getting up here so fast.”
Henry and Jessie climbed to the next floor.
“Here’s the door.” Jessie gave it a push.
She and Henry looked around the silent room. The long, narrow windows didn’t let in much light. All they could see were the large white shapes of old furniture covered in sheets. Cobwebs hung down from the tall ceiling.
Jessie brushed one aside so it wouldn’t get caught in her hair. “Where are Violet and Benny?”
“Down here,” a muffled voice answered from under a lump in the corner.
Henry and Jessie walked over. The sheet moved, then two faces peeked out.
“Hey, you two!” Henry helped his brother and Violet slide out from under a huge bed. “We thought you deserted us.”
Benny dusted off his hair. “We thought you were William or Hilda or the Walking Skeleton, so we hid under there.”
The children tiptoed to the windows, which overlooked the property and Shady Lake as well.
“This is perfect,” Jessie
When the children got outside, Benny was confused. “Why are we going home? Can’t we ask her about my photos?”
Jessie put her arm on Benny’s shoulder. “We’re only going to pretend to leave. We’ll sneak to the other side of the house and see what the two of them are up to.”
When the children came outside, they waved at William.
“See you tomorrow,” Henry called out loudly. Then in a whisper he said, “And probably a whole lot sooner.”
Soon the children were hiking through the woods again. As they circled back, they came up with a plan.
“We have to somehow get upstairs without anyone seeing us,” Henry said. “That way we’ll get a better view around the property. And in old houses, the sound sometimes travels through the heating vents. We might be able to hear what Hilda and William are up to. They seem to spend all their time either outside or downstairs.”
The children hid behind some trees not far from the back of the house. A large clearing stood between the house and the woods. Somehow they were going to have to race through the clearing without being seen.
Jessie took the binoculars to check around the property. “Hilda’s out talking with William near the reflecting pool. Okay now. One by one, we have to scoot into the open and go through the back door. Who wants to go first?”
Benny volunteered. “Say when,” he whispered to Jessie.
“Now!” Jessie said. “They’re facing away from the house. You go, too, Violet. See that room in the tower? We’ll meet you up there. If you hear anyone coming, hide behind the furniture. If you get caught, just say you came back to look for Benny’s camera.” With that, Jessie gave both of the younger children a little push. They were across the lawn in a flash.
“Uh-oh, duck,” Henry told Jessie. “William just turned around. Gee, he’s walking this way. I hope he didn’t see us.”
But William seemed too lost in his own thoughts to notice Jessie and Henry crouching in the bushes. He passed just a couple feet away from them on his way to the gardening shed.
“It’s now or never,” Jessie whispered to Henry. “Hilda is putting her sketch pad and pencils back into her tote bag. She’s going to turn around any minute.”
Henry glanced up at the main house. “Look, Benny and Violet are waving us that the coast is clear.” Henry grabbed his sister’s hand. The two of them raced across the clearing and disappeared into the house.
CHAPTER 9
Skeleton Keys
Henry and Jessie took the stone steps to the tower two at a time. Light on their feet, they didn’t make a sound until they reached a landing. There they stopped to catch their breath near a small window.
“We’re safe for now,” Henry whispered. “William is in the gardening shed. Hilda’s outside somewhere.”
Jessie leaned against the wall. “My heart is about to burst out of me,” she said. “We made it. Let’s find Benny and Violet. They were pretty brave getting up here so fast.”
Henry and Jessie climbed to the next floor.
“Here’s the door.” Jessie gave it a push.
She and Henry looked around the silent room. The long, narrow windows didn’t let in much light. All they could see were the large white shapes of old furniture covered in sheets. Cobwebs hung down from the tall ceiling.
Jessie brushed one aside so it wouldn’t get caught in her hair. “Where are Violet and Benny?”
“Down here,” a muffled voice answered from under a lump in the corner.
Henry and Jessie walked over. The sheet moved, then two faces peeked out.
“Hey, you two!” Henry helped his brother and Violet slide out from under a huge bed. “We thought you deserted us.”
Benny dusted off his hair. “We thought you were William or Hilda or the Walking Skeleton, so we hid under there.”
The children tiptoed to the windows, which overlooked the property and Shady Lake as well.
“This is perfect,” Jessie
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