Now, the first thing to do is to get the room _cleared_--to do this you rush with your eyes closed into your study and turn on the lights--next, approaching the closet, carefully run the stick in the door three or four times.

Then, if nothing happens, you can look in.

_Always, always_ run the stick in viciously first--_never_ look first!" "Of course, that's the ancient Celtic school," said Tom gravely.
"Yes--but they usually pray first.

Anyway, you use this method to clear the closets and also for behind all doors--" "And the bed," Amory suggested.
"Oh, Amory, no!" cried Alec in horror.

"That isn't the way--the bed requires different tactics--let the bed alone, as you value your reason--if there is a ghost in the room and that's only about a third of the time, it is _almost always_ under the bed." "Well" Amory began.
Alec waved him into silence.
"Of _course_ you never look.