Read Online BSC09 The Ghost At Dawn's House by Ann M. Martin - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ann M. Martin
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drank.
"All right," said Claudia. She pulled a book off his shelf. "Let's read Harold and the Purple Crayon."
Claudia read the story to Jamie. When she was finished he said, "Now can we read Make Way for Ducklings?"
"Oh, Jame-o," said Claud. "I'm sorry, but that one's too long."
"Please, please, please? Pretty puh-kase with a cherry on top?"
Against her better judgment, Claudia gave in. It took nearly a half an hour to read the story because Jamie kept interrupting her to ask questions.
"But," he said, as Claudia was closing the book, "why did Mr. Mallard leave Mrs. Mallard and the ducklings all alone?"
"He was waiting for them at their new home."
"Oh. How come Michael called all the policemen?"
"Because," replied Claud, "the duck family needed help. Now into bed."
Jamie crawled under the covers. He asked for another drink of water . . . and another. Finally he seemed sleepy.
Claudia tiptoed downstairs and settled herself in front of the TV. She'd been watching for about five minutes when she heard a voice behind her say, "But how come Mr. Mallard just waited on the island? And can I have another drink of water?"
Y<
Chapter 11.
"You know what I think?" asked Mary Anne dreamily.
"What?" I replied.
The two of us were lying on our backs in the hayloft in the barn. The day was stickily warm and sunny, and I could see particles of dust floating through the sunshine that streamed through the cracks in the walls. It was only the third time Mary Anne had ever been in the barn. She's such a 'fraidy cat. Just because the barn is a little rickety.
As if reading my thoughts, she went on, "I think I'm too afraid of things."
I couldn't disagree with her.
"And being afraid always makes things worse than they really are. I was afraid of boys before Stacey and I went to Sea City. I was afraid of making new friends before I met you."
"You were afraid of the barn," I pointed out.
"Yup," Mary Anne glanced through the copy of Sixteen magazine that was lying between us.
"Are you feeling braver now?" I asked her.
"Sure," she said ^bsentmindedly. "Gosh, look at this kid Cam Geary. Isn't he adorable?"
"Yeah. . . . How brave are you feeling?"
"Pretty brave. I wish Cam lived here in Stoneybrook."
"How'd you like to prove to me just how brave you've become?"
"Huh?" Mary Anne finally dragged her eyeballs away from Cam Geary.
"I said, 'How'd you like to prove how brave you've become?' "
"What do you mean?" asked Mary Anne suspiciously.
"I've got a great secret to show you."
"You do?"
"Yes. But you're going to have to be very, very brave. Come on!" I jumped up. "Come in the house with me and we'll get flashlights."
"Flashlights?" repeated Mary Anne. "Whatever this is — I guess it has to do with the dark?"
"Right. But you're not afraid of the dark, are you?"
"No. I'm afraid of all the things I can't see that the dark is hiding."
"Oh, Mary Anne. I thought you said you were getting so brave."
"Yeah, well ..."
I couldn't admit that I wasn't feeling particularly brave myself. What I wanted to do, of course, was show Mary Anne the secret passage. I hadn't had the nerve to go in it, let alone talk about it, since the night I'd read about Jared Mullray. I wanted someone to come with me. I also wanted someone to be able to share the amazing secret.
I got to my feet and picked up the magazine. "Let's go," I said, trying to sound enthusiastic. "You are in for the surprise of your life."
Mary Anne and I climbed out of the hayloft. We went into our house and found a couple of flashlights. Then I led Mary Anne to my bedroom.
I had decided to enter the passage from the house instead of the barn. For one thing, seeing my wall swing open was a lot more dramatic than shoving in the dusty old trapdoor. For another, it was a lot less scary. And if we left the wall open, it would let some light into the passage.
"Okay. Get ready," I said. I pressed the
molding and the wall began to open up. I turned around to watch Mary Anne's
"All right," said Claudia. She pulled a book off his shelf. "Let's read Harold and the Purple Crayon."
Claudia read the story to Jamie. When she was finished he said, "Now can we read Make Way for Ducklings?"
"Oh, Jame-o," said Claud. "I'm sorry, but that one's too long."
"Please, please, please? Pretty puh-kase with a cherry on top?"
Against her better judgment, Claudia gave in. It took nearly a half an hour to read the story because Jamie kept interrupting her to ask questions.
"But," he said, as Claudia was closing the book, "why did Mr. Mallard leave Mrs. Mallard and the ducklings all alone?"
"He was waiting for them at their new home."
"Oh. How come Michael called all the policemen?"
"Because," replied Claud, "the duck family needed help. Now into bed."
Jamie crawled under the covers. He asked for another drink of water . . . and another. Finally he seemed sleepy.
Claudia tiptoed downstairs and settled herself in front of the TV. She'd been watching for about five minutes when she heard a voice behind her say, "But how come Mr. Mallard just waited on the island? And can I have another drink of water?"
Y<
Chapter 11.
"You know what I think?" asked Mary Anne dreamily.
"What?" I replied.
The two of us were lying on our backs in the hayloft in the barn. The day was stickily warm and sunny, and I could see particles of dust floating through the sunshine that streamed through the cracks in the walls. It was only the third time Mary Anne had ever been in the barn. She's such a 'fraidy cat. Just because the barn is a little rickety.
As if reading my thoughts, she went on, "I think I'm too afraid of things."
I couldn't disagree with her.
"And being afraid always makes things worse than they really are. I was afraid of boys before Stacey and I went to Sea City. I was afraid of making new friends before I met you."
"You were afraid of the barn," I pointed out.
"Yup," Mary Anne glanced through the copy of Sixteen magazine that was lying between us.
"Are you feeling braver now?" I asked her.
"Sure," she said ^bsentmindedly. "Gosh, look at this kid Cam Geary. Isn't he adorable?"
"Yeah. . . . How brave are you feeling?"
"Pretty brave. I wish Cam lived here in Stoneybrook."
"How'd you like to prove to me just how brave you've become?"
"Huh?" Mary Anne finally dragged her eyeballs away from Cam Geary.
"I said, 'How'd you like to prove how brave you've become?' "
"What do you mean?" asked Mary Anne suspiciously.
"I've got a great secret to show you."
"You do?"
"Yes. But you're going to have to be very, very brave. Come on!" I jumped up. "Come in the house with me and we'll get flashlights."
"Flashlights?" repeated Mary Anne. "Whatever this is — I guess it has to do with the dark?"
"Right. But you're not afraid of the dark, are you?"
"No. I'm afraid of all the things I can't see that the dark is hiding."
"Oh, Mary Anne. I thought you said you were getting so brave."
"Yeah, well ..."
I couldn't admit that I wasn't feeling particularly brave myself. What I wanted to do, of course, was show Mary Anne the secret passage. I hadn't had the nerve to go in it, let alone talk about it, since the night I'd read about Jared Mullray. I wanted someone to come with me. I also wanted someone to be able to share the amazing secret.
I got to my feet and picked up the magazine. "Let's go," I said, trying to sound enthusiastic. "You are in for the surprise of your life."
Mary Anne and I climbed out of the hayloft. We went into our house and found a couple of flashlights. Then I led Mary Anne to my bedroom.
I had decided to enter the passage from the house instead of the barn. For one thing, seeing my wall swing open was a lot more dramatic than shoving in the dusty old trapdoor. For another, it was a lot less scary. And if we left the wall open, it would let some light into the passage.
"Okay. Get ready," I said. I pressed the
molding and the wall began to open up. I turned around to watch Mary Anne's
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