The wooing wind blew from the Himalayas over the hills and trees. It passed the haunted hill and reached the village, on the slope of the next hill. It tried to blow away the tin roofs, doors, windows, chimneys and clothes even on sunny days.
Usha, her brother Suresh and her friend Binya spread their clothes out to dry, firmly holding them by rocks. They rested awhile there. Usha planned to go for weekly shopping. Binya could not go with her. Suresh was willing but he had to help Grandpa. He was worried about how she would return alone in the dark passing the Haunted hill.
Grandfather told a story about an English family which lived on the Haunted hill a hundred years ago and the family members were killed by lightning. Grandfather had seen the two children of the family often playing in the moonlight near the ruins even now. This frightened them.Usha went for weekly shopping passing the fields, hill, ruins and valley. The ruined house had crumbling walls with wild flowers, a wild plum tree in the floor of the large hall, lizard on the stones and singing bird on the empty window.
She went to Aunt Lakshmis house for tea and when the clouds gathered for rain she hurried home after collecting her mother’s slippers from the cobbler.
1. What were the children doing beside the stone wall?
2. What did Suresh ask Usha? Why?
3. Who told the children the story about the ghosts on Haunted Hill?
