oan, and Lucy, assisted by Fred,
endeavoured to make her bed a little more comfortable, while the anxious
and staring Jacky was sent back to the house for some tea and a dry
flannel gown. Before his return, however, Flora Macdonald, who chanced
to be in the neighbourhood, came in to see Moggy, and immediately took
the case in hand, in a way that greatly relieved Fred and Lucy, because
they felt that she was accustomed to such incidents, and thoroughly
understood what to do.

Hobbs, who came in a few minutes later with the Sudberry medicine chest,
was instantly despatched by Flora for the doctor, and George, who
entered a few minutes after that, was sent about his business, as were
also a number of gossips, whose presence would ere long have rendered
the small hut unbearably warm, but for Flora's decision.

Meanwhile all this unusual bustle had the effect of diverting the mind
of the patient, who ceased to groan, and took to wandering instead.

Leaving them all thus engaged, we must beg the reader to accompany us to
a very different scene.

It is a dense thicket within the entrance of the pass, to which
reference has been made more than once. Here a band of wandering
beggars or gypsies had pitched their camp on a spot which commanded an
extensive view of the high-road, yet was itself concealed from view by
the dwarf-trees which in that place covered the rugged hill-side.

There was a rude hut constructed of boughs and ferns, underneath which
several dark-skinned and sturdy children were at play. A
dissipated-looking young woman sat beside them. In front of this hut a
small fire was kindled, and over it, from a tripod, hung an iron pot,
the contents of which were watched with much interest, and stirred from
time to time by a middle-aged woman of forbidding aspect. Beside her
stood our amiable friend with the squint and the broken nose, who has
already been mentioned as having received a merited thrashing from Mr
Sudberry.

"Yes, the little brute has come back," said the gypsy, grinding his
teeth in a way that might have led one to suppose he would have been
glad to have had the "little brute" between them.

"Serves ye right for stealin' him away!" said the woman.

"Serves me right!" echoed the man, bitterly. "Did I not vow that I
would have my revenge on that old witch? Did she not stand up in court
and witness again' me, so that I got two year for a job that many a
fellow gits off with six months for?"