Part 16 (1/2)

”You'd better leave them here quietly with us till after the fair. No one shall see them except those who've seen them already.”

They were in the outer half of the van by now, for Diana, afraid of disturbing the children, had drawn back with the light, and the Signor had followed her.

At her last speech he turned upon her with sudden and angry suspicion.

”No, no,” he said. ”I'll have no tricks served me. Have you been putting your handsome sister up to this, Mick, you fool? You promised me the brats at once.”

”Yes, at once. You shall have them at once when you pay me,” said Mick, beginning to get angry in turn, ”but not before. I don't want to keep them--not I; they're the pest of my life, they are, but I'll see my money or you shall never set eyes on them again.”

And he looked so stolidly obstinate that the other man glanced at Diana as if for advice.

”You'd better have left him alone,” she said in a low voice, contemptuously. ”If you make him angry now he's not sober, there's no saying what he'll do.”

The Signor began to be really afraid that his prey might slip through his hands. He turned to Diana.

”I'm one for quick work and no s.h.i.+lly-shallying,” he said. ”And I have Mick's word for it. He's signed a paper. I'll take care to get myself and you into no trouble, but I must have the children at once. Now listen, Mick. I'll be here to-morrow morning at say eight--well, nine o'clock, with the money. And you must have the children ready--and help me to take 'em off quietly, or--or--I don't want no bother,” he added meaningly.

”All right,” said Mick; ”they'll be ready,” and he followed the Signor down the steps of the van, Diana still holding the light.

”Nine o'clock,” said the Signor once more, as if he depended more on the girl than on the man.

”At nine o'clock,” she repeated, and she stood there till quite sure that the Signor had taken himself off, and that Mick had no intention of returning.

Then she blew out the light and crept softly in and out among the vans, tethered horses, etc., forming the gipsy caravan, till she came to the waggon where she knew Tim slept. He was wide awake, expecting her, and in answer to her whispered call said nothing till they had got some yards away.

”I think the other boys is asleep,” he said, ”but best make sure. Well, Diana?”

”You must go at once--no, not just at once, but as soon as the dawn breaks. That man's coming for them at nine, and once in his hands----!”

Diana shook her head, and though she said no more the boy understood her, that then all hope of escape would be gone.

”I'll be ready,” said Tim.

CHAPTER X.

A BOAT AND A BABY.

”And now I _have_ a little boat.”

_Peter Bell._

The children were still sleeping when the first straggling feeble rays of dawn began to creep through the darkness. Diana stood at the door of the van and looked anxiously at the sunrise. Her experienced eye soon saw that it was going to be a fine day, and she gave a sigh of relief.

She was still dressed as she had been the night before, for she had not slept, not lain down even--so great had been her fear of falling asleep--at all. She had spent all the dark hours in preparing for the flight of the little prisoners--all that her hands, untrained in such matters as sewing and mending, could do to make the twins appear in decent guise on their return to their own home had been done. And now all was ready. There was nothing to do but to wake them and explain to them what was before them. Tim was already up and off--for she had arranged with him to meet the children a little way out of the town, and he had tapped at the door of the van as he pa.s.sed.

There was no one stirring among the queer inhabitants of the fair, as Diana remarked with satisfaction. Everything was perfectly still, and with a sigh the gipsy girl stepped up into the van again and went through to the inner part. Duke and Pamela were lying much as they had been the evening before. It seemed a pity to wake them, but it had to be done. Diana stooped down and gently shook Duke's arm.

”Master,” she said,--”master and missy, you must wake up.”

Duke opened his sleepy eyes and stared before him; Pamela, more quickly awakened, started up, crying: