The gallant escort promised and then, observed by the envious eyes of Jack and his chums, the Camp Fire Girls, and their new friends, puffed away in the launch across the lake toward the old mill. They reached it without incident, disembarked and were soon at the ancient structure, their friends carrying up the lunch and other impedimenta. “And now we shall leave you to your fates,” said Ford Armstrong, with mock heroics. “And don’t forget about coming after us,” warned Mabel, shaking a finger at him. Laughingly the boys promised once more, and then departed in their launch, rather wishing the girls had asked them to stay. “Now we must begin our search!” declared Natalie. “We will work a while and then rest, eat and string beads, and do some more searching. I’m going to find that secret room!” “Natalie will insist on that,” remarked Mabel. “Oh, what a scary place!” she added, as she looked around the gloomy old mill. “Hark!” called Marie softly. “Oh, what is it?” demanded Alice, grasping the arm of Natalie. “Don’t!” begged the other. “That’s my sore place—where the briars scratched me.” “Sillies! It isn’t anything but the wind rattling,” said Mrs. Bonnell. “If you’re going to scream at every sound we might as well stop now.” “Oh, let’s begin!” cried Natalie. “I do so want to beat the boys at their own game. Come on, I’ll lead the way,” and she darted toward the stairs. “Be careful,” warned the guardian, “you don’t want to sprain your ankle again.” “And those stairs aren’t any too safe,” added Marie. But they managed to get up them in safety, and found themselves in an upper story of the mill. There were remains of old machinery, now rusted and broken, and big bins for the storage of grain. The mill was a rambling structure, that seemed to have been built on and added to from time to time. It had also served as a home for the families of the various millers. There were passage-ways leading from room to room, sometimes little flights of steps necessitated because the floors were on different levels. But, as far as the girls could see, there was no place for any substantial creature to hide. “Though of course ghosts could stow themselves away in a rat hole,” observed Mabel. “Don’t say ghosts and rats up here,” begged Marie. “Let’s go down stairs and look around,” suggested Natalie. “We’ll make a fire, if we can find anything, and be cosy as we sit about it. Then we can eat when we’re ready. Did you bring that box of candy, Mabel?” “I did—what’s left of it.” “Oh! nearly five pounds gone since the first of the week!” exclaimed Mrs. Bonnell. “Girls, your indigestions will be ruined!” “Good!” laughed Alice. Their search down stairs was no more fruitful. They passed through room after room, where the grinding of various grist had been done years ago. Here was more machinery, all in ruins. They peered out at the moss-covered mill-wheel, broken and shattered, below which was trickling a little stream of water.