Part 32 (1/2)

”Not much I won't! Don't you think it,” cried Sammy. ”But you might get my fis.h.i.+ng tackle and jointed pole and sneak 'em out to me.

There's good kids!”

”We will do nothing sneaky for you at all, Sammy Pinkney!” exclaimed Tess indignantly.

”Aw, go on! You can just as easy.”

”We can, but we won't. So there! And if you don't go home with us when the man takes us back in his car we certainly will tell where you are.”

”Be a telltale. _I_ don't care,” cried Sammy, roughly. ”And I won't say just where we are going from here, so you needn't think my folks will find me.”

One of the closed vans--something like a moving van only with windows in the sides, a stove-pipe sticking out of the roof, and a door at the rear, with steps--seemed now to be ready to start. A man climbed into the front seat to drive it. Several women and smaller children got in at the rear after the various bales and packages that had been tossed in. The big man suddenly shouted and beckoned to Tess and Dot.

”Here, little ladies,” he said, still smiling his wide smile. ”You come go wit' my mudder, eh? Take you to find the Gypsy women you want to see.”

”But--er--Mr. Gypsy,” said Tess, somewhat disturbed now, ”we must go back home.”

”Sure. Tak' you home soon as you see those women and give them what you got for them.”

He strode across the camp to them. His smile was quite as wide, but did not seem to forecast as much good-nature as at first.

”Come now! Get in!” he commanded.

”Hey!” cried Sammy. ”What you doing? Those little girls are friends of mine. You want to let them ride in that open car--not in that box. What d'you think we are?”

”Get out the way, boy!” commanded Big Jim.

He seized Tess suddenly by the shoulders, swung her up bodily despite her screams and tossed her through the rear door of the Gypsy van. Dot followed so quickly that she could scarcely utter a frightened gasp.

”Hey! Stop that! Those are the Kenway girls. Why! Mr. Howbridge will come after them and he'll--he'll--”

Sammy's excited threat was stopped in his throat. Big Jim's huge hand caught the boy a heavy blow upon the side of his head. The next moment he was shot into the motor-van too and the door was shut.

He heard Tess and Dot sobbing somewhere among the women and children already crowded into the van. It was a stuffy place, for none of the windows were open. Although this nomadic people lived mostly out of doors, and never under a real roof if they could help it, they did not seem to mind the smothering atmosphere of the van which now, with a sudden lurch, started out of the place of encampment.

”Never you mind, Tess and Dot, they won't dare carry you far. Maybe they are taking you home anyway,” said Sammy in a low voice. ”The first time they stop and let us out we'll run away. I will get you home all right.”

”You--you can't get yourself home, Sammy,” sobbed Dot.

”Maybe you like it being a Gypsy, but we don't,” added Tess.

”I'll fix it for you all right--”

One of the old crones reached out in the semi-darkness and slapped Sammy across the mouth.

”Shut up!” she commanded harshly. But when she tried to slap the boy again she screamed. It must be confessed that Sammy bit her!

”You lemme alone,” snarled the boy captive. ”And don't you hit those girls. If you do I--I'll bite the whole lot of you!”

The women jabbered a good deal together in their own tongue; but n.o.body tried to interfere with Sammy thereafter. He shoved his way into the van until he stood beside Tess and Dot.