12

6

"You can get up now, Romeo," Francis said, shaking the side of Danny's bed with his knee. Danny's eyes popped open over a huge grin. "You should be ashamed of yourself."

"I should be, but it skips a generation."

"Grab your things and let's hit it."

"I've got to use the little boy's room."

"There's the window."

"That may be how you soldiers do it, but us messengers are a tad more civilized. I'll be right back."

"You've got five minutes."

"Time me!"

So Francis paced while Danny went in search of some privacy, and after a long twelve minutes passed, he heard Danny's whistle from the hallway and joined him. The princesses' room was two corners away. They snuck to the door and stood quietly listening for voices. Danny rubbed his neck while looking over his shoulder nervously.

"Second thoughts?" Francis whispered.

"No, but I was just thinking. I know the girls are trying to scare us off, but what if there really is a ghost in here. I mean, don't all castles have them?"

"Have you ever seen one?"

"I thought I saw the Lady of the Lake once, but that was just the captain washing his tights in the river."

"Put your ear up to the door and have a listen."

Francis did first and Danny followed suit, but just before, took an apple out of his pocket and bit into it.

"I can't hear anything," he said, chewing loudly.

"Are you so hungry that you're eating a wax apple?"

"This is the real deal! I took a little detour. You should see all the food in the kitchen. I want to live in that pantry."

"Did you bring me anything?"

"Well, I did. But you know how I eat when I get scared and the stairs are darker than the hallways."

"Does fear make you greedy too?"

"I know what you're thinking," Danny said, his fingers splayed over his stomach. "'Where does he put it all?'"

Francis shook his head and started to crouch.

"Where you going?"

"I'm going to look through the keyhole."

"And I should be ashamed of myself, he says. Peeping through a keyhole. This isn't right. We should spy on them in the daylight like gentlemen."

"Need I remind you this was your idea," Francis said, and a lot of other words too, but Danny's eyes were drawn and glued to an eerie light suddenly glowing from underneath the girls' door.

"F..F..Francis?"

"And another thing –"

"B...But Francis."

"What?" he asked sternly.

"Look down."

"Why don't you? Or are you afraid you'll pop your girdle – hey, what's this?"

Seeing the strange glow, Francis stood and stepped back.

"I told ya! A ghost. And it's in there."

Francis jiggled the door handle and found it was locked.

"Is he kidding?" Danny asked an unresponsive hallway.

"We've got to get in there."

"Oh, you're too much. Unless...do you think they're in trouble? Why are you smiling?"