is roused Mick.

"Stay, stay--wait a bit," he said eagerly, "Diana," he called,--and as
Diana was in reality only waiting behind a shed she soon appeared
again,--"I were only joking. Of course it's for you to show the Signor
the pretty dears--such care as she's had of them, so bright and merry as
she's taught them to be, you wouldn't believe," he went on in a half
whine. "It'll be a sore trouble to her to part with them--you'll have to
think o' that, Signor. I've promised Diana we'd act handsome by _her_."

"Of course, of course," said the other, with a sneer. "Sure to be
handsome doings where you and me's concerned, friend Mick. But where
_are_ the creatures? You're not playing me a trick after all, are you?"
he went on, looking round as if he expected to see the children start up
from the earth or drop down from the sky.

"This way," said Diana, more civilly than she had yet spoken, "follow me
if you please--they're close by."

In another minute she was standing on the steps of the van with the key
in the lock. Then suddenly she turned and faced the Signor.

"They're asleep," she said. "I kept them up and awake a long time, but I
hadn't thought you'd be so late. I can wake them up if you like, and if
they saw me there they wouldn't cry. But they'd be half asleep--there'd
be no getting them to show off to-night. But of course it's as the
Signor chooses."

He looked at her curiously. He was surprised to find her seemingly as
eager as Mick that he should think well of the merchandise they were
offering him for sale! He had rather expected the gipsy girl to set
herself against the transaction, for he knew she disliked him, and that
no money would have persuaded her herself to join his "troupe." But he
was too low himself to explain anything in others except by the lowest
motives. "She thinks she'll get something handsome out of me if she's
civil about it," he said to himself. Seeing, however, that civility was
to be the order of the day, he answered her with an extra quantity of
grins.

"Quite of your opinion, my young lady. Better not disturb the little
dears. Should like a look at them, however, with your kind assistance."

Diana said no more, but, unlocking and opening the door, stepped
carefully into the van, followed by her companions--Mick remaining
somewhat behind, probably because he could not have got quite into the
recesses of the waggon without tumbling, and such sense as remained to
him telling him he