Fearfully the chums obeyed and Betty and Mollie pulled out their electric
pocket torches, filling the place with a weird light. Mollie, being
acquainted with the place, naturally took charge of the situation.

"There are matches over there," she said, "and candles over the fireplace.
For goodness' sake, let's get a regular light, folks. Perhaps that will
make us feel more natural."

"So say all of us," echoed Amy. "The dark makes everything worse, when you
are not well acquainted with a place."

Mollie touched a match to the candles, and in the answering flare turned
to face her chums.

"Girls," she said, determinedly, "I don't know how you feel about it, but
I vote that before we do anything else we get something to eat. We all
look like ghosts just now and I'm sure we feel much worse than that. But a
little food makes a monstrous lot of difference."

"You know it does," cried Grace, relaxing into one of the big chairs that
were scattered about the room and covering her face with her hands. "I
think if I don't get something to eat soon, I'll die, that's all."

"Well, we are none of us going to die," said Mrs. Irving vigorously, as
she threw aside her coat and hat. "Show us the way to the kitchen, Mollie,
and if there is anything there to eat, we will get it."

Accordingly Mollie took one of the candles and led the way into a little
room beyond while all the girls but Betty crowded in after her.