Part 18 (1/2)

”And now,” said Mrs. Peter, ”I'll just go up on the deck as usual, so that if any boats pa.s.s us who know us by sight, they'll never think we've any runaways on board; though for my part I can't see as that Mick'd dare to make much stir, seeing as he might be had up for stealing them.”

”It's not him I'm so much afeared of as that Signor,” said Tim. ”He's such a terrible sharp one, Diana says.”

”But the perlice must be after the children by now,” persisted Mrs.

Peter. ”And every one far and wide knows of Crookford Fair and the gipsies that comes to it.”

”P'raps they've never thought of gipsies,” said Tim; and in this, as we know, he was about right.

The day pa.s.sed peacefully. They met several boats making for Crookford, who hailed them as usual, and they were overtaken by one or two others making their way more quickly, because towed by two horses. But whether or not there had been any inquiry among the ca.n.a.l people at Crookford after the children, Peter and his party were left unmolested, and the sight of his wife and baby as usual on the deck would have prevented any one suspecting anything out of the common.

It was late afternoon when the three--for Tim had slept as soundly as the others--awoke. At first, in their nest behind the curtain, Duke and Pamela could not imagine where they were--then the touch and sight of the clean sheets recalled their memory.

”Oh, bruvver, aren't you glad?” said Pamela. ”I wonder what o'clock it is, and if we've come a long way. Oh, I'm so hungry! I wonder where Tim is!”

Up jumped the boy like a faithful hound at the sound of his own name.

”Here I am, missy,” he said, rubbing his eyes. ”I've been asleep too--it makes one sleepy, I think, the smooth way the boat slips along.”

”Not like the jogging and jolting in the van,” said Duke. ”I'm hungry too, Tim,” he added.

”Just stop where you are a bit while I go out on the deck and see,” said the boy.

He made his way cautiously, peeping out before he let himself be seen.

The coast was clear, however. Mrs. Peter was knitting tranquilly, baby asleep on her knee--Peter himself enjoying an afternoon pipe.

For it was already afternoon.

”You've had a good nap, all on you,” said the young woman, smiling. ”I thought you'd 'a wakened up for your dinner. But I looked in two or three times and the little dears was sleeping like angels in a picture--so Peter and I we thought it would be a pity to disturb you.

Had you so far to come this morning?

”Not far at all,” said Tim. ”I cannot think what made me so sleepy, nor master and missy neither. Perhaps it's the being so quiet-like here after all the flurry of getting off and thinking they'd be after us.

It's not often I sleep past my dinner time.”

”I've kep' it for you,” said Mrs. Peter. ”There's some baked 'taters hot in the pan, and maybe the little master and missy'd like one of their eggs.”

”I'm sure they would,” said Tim; ”a hegg and a baked 'tater's a dinner for a king. And there's the oranges for a finish up.”

And he skipped back merrily to announce the good news.

The dinner was thoroughly approved of by Duke and Pamela, and after they had eaten it they were pleased at being allowed to stay on the deck of the boat, and to run about and amuse themselves as they chose, for they had now left Crookford so far behind them that Peter and his wife did not think it likely any one would be coming in pursuit.

”They'd 'a been after us by now if they'd been coming,” said Peter. ”A horse'd have overtook us long afore this, and not going so very fast nayther.”

The children had not enjoyed so much liberty for many weary days, and their merry laughter was heard all over the boat, as they played hide-and-seek with Tim, or paddled their hands in the clear water, leaning over the sides of the boat. For they were now quite out in the country, and the ca.n.a.l bore no traces of the dirt of the town. It was a very pretty bit of country too through which they were pa.s.sing; and though the little brother and sister were too young to have admired or even noticed a beautiful landscape of large extent, they were delighted with the meadows dotted over with daisies and b.u.t.tercups, and the woods in whose recesses primroses and violets were to be seen, through which they glided.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ”I DO FINK WHEN US IS QUITE BIG AND CAN DO AS US LIKES, US MUST HAVE A BOAT LIKE THIS, AND ALWAYS GO SAILING ALONG.”--p. 195.]