They found a side doorway of one structure wide open, and stepped into a lathed but unplastered hallway.

Andy bounded up on an unfinished front piazza and stepped through an open casement into a lathed but unplastered parlor.
"Shall we follow ?" asked Pepper of Jack.
"Might as well," returned the young major.

"Andy may get into trouble with Ritter, and if so we want to be on hand to help him." Ritter and the man were talking in a low tone, so that what was said could not be overheard.

They had stepped into the house to get out of the keen wind that had sprung up.

Andy tiptoed his way across the unfinished parlor and applied his eye to a crack where a lath was missing.