- We're hanging out with Seth again, and he's doing what he loves to do the most: drinking booze.
- This time, though, he's brought some pals: Amos Ames, Ira Mackel, Joe Silva, and Abner Small.
- They're all a little buzzed, and all complaining about how Seth won't share the hooch.
- Of all the whiners, Abner Small complains the loudest.
- Seth says he's not going to give him a drop, because it might make what he's agreed to do easier.
- Just what is that? Small has agreed to stay part of the night in the empty Mannon home (Lavinia and Orin are away traveling) with no lights on.
- This wouldn't be a big deal, except the house is supposedly full of ghosts—including the ghosts of Christine and Ezra Mannon.
- The bet is for ten bucks and a gallon of liquor. Trust Seth to keep it classy.
- At first, they're all cracking jokes. Small's talking about what he'll do with the cash he's going to win, and the other guys are implying that Small isn't going to make it out alive.
- The sun starts to go down, and the guys all start to get a little more serious.
- Ames and Mackel start talking about whether or not ghosts are real as Seth goes into the house.
- Ames says the jury's still out as far as he's concerned.
- Mackel tells the story of Asa Nims, who chopped up his wife with a hatchet and then hanged himself.
- He says a friend of his, Ben Willet, bought the place and kept hearing things in the walls.
- Silva chimes in, and tells the gang about a sailor on a ship who got stabbed and pitched overboard.
- He says that, every night since, people said they could see his ghost among the ship's riggings, moaning and wailing.
- Seth comes back out and Small takes on last pull on the jug of whiskey before going inside.
- They all start talking about what's going down.
- Seth said he doesn't believe the place is haunted; he was just having fun with Small.
- The rest of the guys start talking about how they wouldn't be surprised if the house was haunted, considering the suspicious deaths of Christine and Ezra.
- Seth, ever the loyal groundskeeper, tries to defend the Mannons, when he notices Peter and Hazel coming on up the drive.
- He tells them he was just showing some friends around the old place.
- Peter tells Seth that Lavinia and Orin have just landed in New York and they're due back soon.
- Suddenly, Small comes tearing out of the house like his life depended on it, throws Seth the ten bucks, and says he saw the ghost of Ezra Mannon in judge's robes coming through the wall.
- Seth laughs—it wasn't a ghost, just the picture that hangs in the study.
- The frightened Small takes off anyway and Seth sends the rest of the guys with him.
- Peter's confused, so Seth tells him what just happened.
- At first, Peter's a little peeved, but then Seth explains that he did it because people were gossiping about the house being haunted, and saying all kinds of mean things about the Mannons. He figures this was a good way to stop all that.
- Seth says that folks aren't exactly wrong though.
- Peter seems disappointed that Seth believes in ghosts.
- Seth says it's not ghosts exactly, but that he feels like something evil has a hold over the house and the people who live there. He says he's only telling them this so they can try and convince Orin and Lavinia not to live there.
- Then, Seth abruptly changes the subject, and asks when the siblings are coming back from their trip to the islands.
- We find out that they're due back tomorrow, so Peter and Hazel want Seth's help getting the house back in order.
- Seth seems nervous, but he agrees and runs off to get some lanterns.
- Hazel and Peter start talking about what Seth said.
- Peter's convinced that Seth's off his rocker, but Hazel isn't sure.
- Seth comes back, and the three go into the house.
- Stopping suddenly, Hazel says she has always sensed that something cold grips you right as you come inside the house.
- Peter still isn't having any of it. They both go in.
- Lavinia and Orin show up, having decided to come home early.
- Lavinia notices lights in the windows, and says it must be Peter and Hazel. Symbolism alert!
- Orin seems weird and withdrawn.
- He and his sister have a little chat about whether or not there are any ghosts actually living inside the house.
- They decide to go inside but not before Orin glances at the last place Christine was sitting when she was alive.
- You can tell that Orin's feeling more than slightly guilty, but Lavinia doesn't care. She thinks he can come home and deal with things.
- She insists they go inside, and they do.