e little girl soon found it a
most interesting object of study. She had seldom seen little babies, and
her pride was great when its mother proposed to her to hold it on her
own knee, and even allowed her to pull off its socks to count for
herself its ten little round rosy buttons of toes. The toes proved too
much for Duke, who had hitherto stood rather apart, considering himself,
as a boy, beyond the attractions of dolls and babies. But when Tim
even--great grown-up, twelve years old Tim--knelt down to admire the
tiny feet at Pamela's call, Duke condescended to count the toes one by
one for himself, and to say what a pity it was Toby was not here--baby
could ride so nicely on Toby's back, couldn't she? This idea, expressed
with the greatest gravity, set Peter and his wife off laughing, and all
five, or six if baby is to be included, were soon the best friends in
the world.

"How nice it is here," said Pamela; "I'm not frightened now, Tim; only I
wish Diana could have come. It's so much nicer than in the waggon. You
don't think Mick will find out where us is, do you, Tim?" and a little
shudder passed through her.

"Oh no, no; no fear," said Tim, but her words reminded him and Peter
that they were by no means "out of the wood." Peter was far from anxious
for a fight with the gipsies, whose lawless ways he knew well; and
besides this, being a kind-hearted though rough fellow, he had already
begun to feel an interest in the stolen children for their own sake;
though no doubt his consent to take them as passengers had been won by
the promises of reward Tim had not hesitated to hold out.

He and the boy looked at each other.

"We must be starting," said the bargeman, and he turned to jump ashore
and attach the towing ropes to the patient horse. "You must keep them in
the cabin for a while," he said to his wife. "They mustn't risk being
seen till we're a long way out of Crookford."

Duke and Pamela looked up, but without clearly understanding what their
new host said. And Tim, who saw that Peter's queer accent puzzled them,
was not sorry. He did not want them to be frightened; he was frightened
enough himself to do for all three, he reflected, and they were so good
and biddable he could keep them quiet without rousing their fears. For,
though he could not have explained his own feelings, it somehow went to
the boy's heart to see the two little creatures already looking happier
and more peaceful than he had ever seen them!