`` Henry Warren 's ghost , '' answered Carl , through his chattering teeth . `` Henry -- Warren 's -- ghost ! '' said amazed Rosemary , who had never heard the story . `` Yes , '' sobbed Faith hysterically . `` It 's there -- on the Bailey dyke -- we saw it -- and it started to -- chase us . '' Rosemary herded the three distracted creatures to the Ingleside veranda . Gilbert and Anne were both away , having also gone to the House of Dreams , but Susan appeared in the doorway , gaunt and practical and unghostlike . `` What is all this rumpus about ? '' she inquired . Again the children gasped out their awful tale , while Rosemary held them close to her and soothed them with wordless comfort . `` Likely it was an owl , '' said Susan , unstirred . An owl ! The Meredith children never had any opinion of Susan 's intelligence after that ! `` It was bigger than a million owls , '' said Carl , sobbing -- oh , how ashamed Carl was of that sobbing in after days -- `` and it -- it GROVELLED just as Mary said -- and it was crawling down over the dyke to get at us . Do owls CRAWL ? '' Rosemary looked at Susan . `` They must have seen something to frighten them so , '' she said . `` I will go and see , '' said Susan coolly . `` Now , children , calm yourselves . Whatever you have seen , it was not a ghost .
As for poor Henry XXXXX , I feel sure he would be only too glad to rest quietly in his peaceful grave once he got there .
Anne Bailey Carl Gilbert Henry Ingleside Mary Rosemary Susan Warren