Part 5 (2/2)

'Fellows from my school Did you never hear me speak of them?'

'_I_ didn't,' said Tricksy 'Are they nice boys?'

'Decent enough'

'Big or little?'

'One's a ser; not ie than forThere was nothing that annoyed hi boy

'Well,' said Allan, 'perhaps we had better be going, if you have rested enough, Tricksy Hulloa, there's Euan Macdonnell, the coastguard, Neil's cousin; we'll stop and ask hi with us so people, pausing to speak, but the coastguard only saluted and passed on as though he were in a hurry

Reggie looked at Allan in surprise

'Been sent on a e, I suppose,' said Allan, 'and hasn't time to talk The whole island seems to be upset by this affair at the post-office I wish they'd hurry up and catch the fellow and be done with it What's the matter with Laddie now?'

The collie, who had been sniffing about, following up a scent, had suddenly given a bark and sprang over a dyke, and was now yelping and baying excitedly as he jumped about on the other side

'Hah, two heads appeared above the dyke, a good-natured one and a mischievous one, the latter crowned by a scarlet cap on the top of a ive you a surprise,' they said, 'but Laddie spoilt it for us Good dog, Laddie, lie down,' for Laddie'sthe for which drowned all attempts at conversation

'Trust, Laddie!' said Tricksy in her little soft voice; but Laddie took no notice

'Laddie, trust!' said Reggie severely; and Laddie subsided at once, surprised that his attentions should be so little appreciated

Tricksy uttered a reproachful sigh, caused by her dog's inattention to her commands

'When does your mother expect us?' inquired Allan

'Any time before dinner,' said Haot any aipsy enca up ca the island to- theht,' said the others, and they trooped off to the tiny wood nestling in a hollow through which a burn trickled, and froreen foliage of the trees

All was bustle and stir in the gipsy enca at the entrance to the hollow, and upon these the gipsies were piling their household goods--iron pots and kettles, bundles of rags, soaudy crockery, and a variety of miscellaneous articles whose use it would be hard to determine