Ghost Town by Annie Bryant Page B

hand. “It looks to me like whoever was staying here isn’t anymore. We might as well make ourselves comfortable. We should get a fire going and see if we can find something to eat besides Avery’s granola bars.”
    Mr. Ramsey struck a match and held it to the dry kindling. With a little blowing and coaxing, the fire crackled to life. Charlotte breathed in the comforting aroma of woodsmoke. The glow of the fire and snap and pop of the wood gave the chilly, dank room a little cheer.
    â€œLissie and Charlotte, why don’t you explore the kitchen and see if there are any emergency provisions? After I warm my hands up a bit, I think I’ll drag a couple of the mattresses downstairs. We can all camp out in front of the fire,” Mr. Ramsey said. “You know . . . like a sleepover.”
    â€œCan I go exploring too?” Avery asked.
    â€œSure, Avery. As long as you stay in the house.”
    Maeve was happy to crouch next to the cozy fire as the others wandered off to look around.
    When they walked into the old kitchen, Charlotte was surprised at what they found. “Look at this! A real French kitchen in the middle of Montana. Maybe the Hotel de Paris really was built by a Frenchman.”
    â€œWhat’s so French about it?” Avery asked.
    â€œWell, first of all, the worktable has a marble top,” Charlotte pointed out.
    â€œThat means it’s French?” Avery asked.
    â€œJust trust me . . . it does,” Charlotte assured her. Having lived in Paris for several years, Charlotte was attuned to all things French.
    The hungry trio couldn’t find any food in the kitchen, but they hit the jackpot when they ventured into the pantry.
    â€œLook! Bottles of spring water.” Charlotte gathered one under each arm.
    â€œInstant coffee,” Lissie sighed with relief.
    â€œAnd check out this stash of canned goods,” Charlotte said, turning the cans so she could read the labels. “Pork and beans, chili and beans, and pinto beans. Someone really likes beans around here.”
    â€œScore big time! Look what I found!” Avery hoisted a huge, unopened restaurant-size container of peanut butter and a package of graham crackers in the air.
    Lissie checked all the expiration dates. “Great . . . everything’s still safe and usable.”
    They loaded up the canned goods, water, and instant coffee into a large basket.
    â€œWait! We need a can opener,” Avery remembered.
    â€œHere.” Lissie held up an odd-looking contraption.
    â€œThat doesn’t look like any can opener I’ve ever seen.” Avery looked skeptical.
    â€œTrust me. It’s an old-fashioned kind,” Lissie said.
    â€œBut what are we going to cook all this in?” Charlotte asked as she opened up some of the cabinets.
    â€œLook, here’s a skillet with legs.” Avery dragged it from beneath the sink.
    â€œThey call that a spider, I think. It’s perfect,” Lissie said, lifting it. “Whoa! It’s heavy.”
    â€œWe struck gold,” Avery announced as they returned to the parlor.
    â€œAre you sure it’s okay if we use this stuff?” Maeveasked as Mr. Ramsey jabbed the pointed part of the can opener in the can and worked it around the top. “It’s not going to make us sick, is it?”
    â€œNone of it has expired,” Lissie assured her. “Be careful, Richard. The jagged edges are lethal.”
    While the girls opened the peanut butter, Lissie poured several cans of beans into the skillet. The delicious fragrance of the cooking beans wafted through the air and made their mouths water. Mr. Ramsey disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a pile of metal coffee cups and spoons.
    Lissie went outside and scooped up a bucketful of snow. “No use wasting bottled water on dishwashing duties,” she said, hooking a bucket so that it dangled just above the fire. Once the snow melted and was steaming, she loaded