"Well," said John, "it was a stupid trick, but cleverly done--very
cleverly done, or whoever did it would not have escaped me."

"I should not like to sleep alone to-night," Will said to his brother
in confidence when they were in their own room, "and I don't believe
you would either, although you don't say so. I wonder if Edwin likes
it, away from every one too, in that room with the hole in its roof? I
wonder papa does not get that hole mended?"

"He has often spoken about it," said John, "but if I slept in that
room I should rather like the hole. It's uncommon: every room hasn't a
hole in its roof. If you couldn't sleep, for instance, you'd have only
to stare at the hole, and you would doze off before you knew."

"Staring at it would only keep me from sleeping," Will said: "I should
always think something was looking at me through it."

"What could look at you but light--moonlight or daylight from the room
above? In the dark you would the hole."

"Let's sleep," said Will; and, forgetting ghosts and bells and all
influences, the two boys were soon asleep.

It is to be hoped the girls were asleep also; indeed, there is little
doubt the younger ones were. But Bessie, with the cares of a castle
on her head, the mysteries of the evening to perplex her, and an
unfortunate love-affair going more and more awry, how was it with her?

And Edwin, in his remote room with its hole in the roof, how did he
fare? He had gone up a stone staircase, through a long passage and