`` 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 Warren , I feel sure he would be only too glad to rest quietly in his peaceful grave once he got there . No fear of HIM venturing back , and that you may tie to . If you can make them see reason , Miss West , I will find out the truth of the matter . '' Susan departed for Rainbow Valley , valiantly grasping a pitchfork which she found leaning against the back fence where the doctor had been working in his little hay-field .
A pitchfork might not be of much use XXXXX `` ha ` nts , '' but it was a comforting sort of weapon .
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