it would only have been into the young woman's arms.
Duke followed with Tim and the other woman, but he had really to "run,"
as Mick had said, for his short legs could not otherwise have kept up
with the others. He was soon too out of breath to speak--besides, he
dared not have said anything to Tim in the hearing of "the missus," of
whom he was almost more afraid than even of Mick. And the only sign of
friendliness Tim, on his side, dared show him was by taking his hand
whenever he thought the woman would not notice. But, tired as he was
already, Duke could not long have kept up; he felt as if he _must_ have
cried out, when suddenly they came to a turning in the road and the
gipsy stopped.

"We'll get back into the wood this way," he said, without turning his
head, and with some difficulty he managed to get the donkey across a dry
ditch, and down a steep bank, when, sure enough, they found themselves
again among trees. It was already dusk, and a very little way on in the
wood it became almost dark. The gipsy went on some distance
farther--obliged, however, to go very slowly; then at last he stopped.

"This'll do for to-night," he said. "I'm about sick of all this
nonsense, I can tell ye. We might ha' been at Brigslade to-night if it
hadn't been for these brats."

"Then do as I say," said Diana. "I'll manage it for you. Big Tony can
carry one, and I the other."

But Mick only turned away with an oath.

[Illustration: "HERE'S SOME SUPPER FOR YOU. WAKE UP, AND TRY AND EAT A
BIT. IT'LL DO YOU GOOD."--p. 89.]

Big Tony was the name of the gipsy boy. He never spoke, and never seemed
to take any interest in anything, for he was half-witted, as it is
called; though Duke and Pamela only thought him very sulky and silent
compared with the friendly little Tim. By this time they were too
completely tired to think about anything--they even felt too stupid to
wonder if they were on the way home or not--and when Diana lifted Pamela
off the donkey and set her down, still wrapped in the shawl, to lean
with her back against a tree, Duke crept up to her, drawing a corner of
the shawl round him, for he too was very cold by now, poor little
boy--and sat there by his sister, both of them in a sort of half stupor,
too tired even to know that they were very hungry!

They did fall asleep--though they did not know it till they were roused
by some one gently pulling them.

"Here's some supper for you. Wake up, and try and eat a bit. It'l