THE GHOST! 57

 "And isn't it fun having tea up here in the hay,
 instead of just in a room on a common table, like
 every day ? said Polly.
 All the children declared it was twice as nice, and
 that Polly had chosen the thing of all others they
 enjoyed most, in asking for a feast in the loft.
 And to see the rapid rate at which the cake dis-
 appeared, one would have thought these were four
 unfortunate children who had had nothing to eat
 from breakfast-time-but, as Jack remarked, taking
 a huge bite out of an apple as he did so, "there's
 nothing like fun and games to make a fellow hungry."
 When at last even this trayful of good things was
 demolished, the children made a cosy nest in the
 hay and sat all close together to pull the crackers.
 This excitement, however, did not last very long,
for nurse had only sent two crackers for each, and
when they were all finished the children felt chilly
and uncomfortable at the gathering darkness, and
began to long for Bailey to come and take them
down again.
 "I vote we get down by ourselves," said Adolphus,
as he looked at the ladder pensively.
 Oh no!" cried Jack earnestly, I promised father
we wouldn't."
 "Pooh! he'd never know anything about it," was
the answer.