Tom turned to a door that led to the kitchen of the house. The door
was shut, and he tried in vain to open it. The others were behind him
and they, too, tried to open the barrier.
"Must be locked from the other side," said Tom. "Come on out the way
we came in. Gracious! Isn't that awful stuff that is burning?" he
added, for the vapor now filled the room completely.
In sudden alarm the four boys turned back toward the folding
doors through which they had entered the dining-room. To their
consternation, the doors were tightly shut.
"Who shut these?" asked Dick as he tried to open one of the doors.
"I didn't," said Sam.
"Neither did I," added Tom.
"Nobody touched the doors!" ejaculated Stanley. "It must be some of
the ghost's work."
"Nonsense!" answered Dick sharply. "Somebody shut the doors--and
locked 'em," he added after trying both. "Hi, you!" he called. "Open
these doors, and be quick about it!"
"Thou fool, to come here!" exclaimed a hollow voice from the other
side of the doors.
"It's the ghost! I said it was!" said Stanley,
"It's somebody fooling us," answered Tom. "Open the door, or we'll
smash it down!" he added in a loud voice.
Instead of a reply there came a weird groan and then the rattle of
some heavy chains. Stanley turned pale and began to tremble, but the
Rovers were not much impressed.
"We don't believe in ghosts, so you might as well let us out!" cried
Dick.
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