The Mystery of the Whispering Witch

didn’t say anything until Honey had left the room. Then she told Brian, “You’ll have to explain to Moms and Dad what’s happened. Maybe you’d better phone Manor House and tell them, too. Okay, Brian?”
    “Sure.” Her brother turned toward the door, then hesitated. “Listen, Trix, you’re not worried about staying in this place tonight, are you? A lot of the tales told about Lisgard House, if not most of them, are just local gossip, you know.”
    “I know,” Trixie answered slowly, “but I can’t help wondering how much of it is true.”
    “I’m sure some of it is,” Brian said. “But you have to remember that stories passed by word of mouth for generations tend to get bent out of shape over the years. You heard Mart’s version tonight, for example.”
    Trixie frowned. “What about seeing the witch’s ghost?” she asked, thinking of the dim figure she’d seen such a short time before. She told Brian about it.
    He laughed. “It was probably only old Zeke Collins, Trix. He’s the odd-job man around here, as you know.”
    Trixie was puzzled. “But if it was Zeke, why wouldn’t he have come to help? He must have known something was going on—especially when he noticed the doctor’s car, to say nothing of the ambulance.”
    Brian shrugged his shoulders. “He’s supposed to be one of those characters who keep to themselves, Trix. Maybe he thought it was none of his business and just turned around and went home. He lives somewhere on these grounds. He’s got a cottage here, I think.”
    Trixie wasn’t sure whether she was pleased or sorry to hear this sensible explanation. Too, she wasn’t sure she believed it. The figure she’d seen could have been that of Zeke Collins, she supposed. But what if it hadn’t been? Could it have been the witch’s ghost? More important, did she really believe in ghosts, anyway? Sometimes she was certain that she didn’t believe at all that a person could return in any way, shape, or form after death.
    On the other hand, she thought, sometimes strange things happen—and there doesn’t seem to be any logical explanation for them.
    After Brian had gone, Trixie stood alone in the gloomy kitchen and listened to the sound of his old jalopy as it faded away in the distance.
    “Maybe I shouldn’t have been so quick to offer to stay here with Fay tonight,” she muttered to herself. “Maybe we should have insisted that she come home with us, instead.” She sighed. “Oh, well! I’ve really done it this time.” She looked up at the dark ceiling, as if some spirit hovering there could hear her. “Listen, Miss Witch,” she spoke up. “Are you there? If you’re going to do any haunting tonight, do me a favor and wait till I’m asleep, okay?”
    There was a sudden silence, as if the whole house were holding its breath.
    Then someone whispered, "Beware!”

Touring a Haunted House • 3

    TRIXIE GASPED. “What? What did you say?” She spun around to look behind her and saw Honey hurrying into the kitchen.
    “Everything’s all set,” Honey announced, sounding pleased, “and guess what, Trix? I was telling Fay about your ‘ghost,’ and she says it was probably only old Zeke Collins. He lives on the grounds, you know. Fay says he often snoops around. This time she thought he was off somewhere in town, but he must have been here all along. Aren’t you glad?”
    Trixie wasn’t listening. “Honey, did you—that is—before you said what you just said, did you say something else? Did you say anything at all?”
    Honey looked surprised. “Of course I said something else. I said lots of something elses. I told Fay we’d toss for which one of us is going to sleep in the armchair. Fay offered to sleep in it herself, Trix, but it doesn’t look too comfortable, so I think my way is more fair. Then I told her we were glad she’d come to Sleepyside. I still don’t understand how anyone could willingly live in a house like this. But I didn’t say that this time, Trixie....
    Trixie watched as her friend chattered on. At first she thought that Honey seemed more relaxed and less apprehensive than she’d been when they’d first arrived at the house. Then she realized that Honey was still nervous about spending the night there. Knowing that Fay needed company tonight, though, had made her bravely decide to cover up her fears.
    Trixie also realized that, whoever it was who had warned her to beware, it certainly hadn’t been Honey. Had it been anyone at