e her baby," said Janet, holding the bundle up; but the woman
did not see it, and Janet told Jack to run on quickly and meet her, and
tell her that they had the baby and it was not hurt.

Jack did so, and the woman left the horse to be cared for by the man
and boy who walked behind, and ran to Janet, and seized the bundle from
her, and hugged it so tightly that the baby, for the first time,
uttered a little cry.

"Where did you find it?" the gipsy woman asked; and Janet told her the
story.

"It must have rolled out of the van while I was in front with the
horse," said the gipsy. "We didn't miss it. We've had to come back
three miles at least."

By this time the two caravans had met, and the man was brought up by
the woman and told the story, and they all expressed their gratitude to
Janet for nursing the child so kindly.

"Bless your pretty heart!" the gipsy woman said again and again, while
her husband asked if there was anything that they could do for her and
her party.

"I don't think so," said Janet. "We liked to take care of it, of
course."

The gipsy man asked a number of questions about the Slowcoach, and then
suggested that he should show them a good place to camp, and make their
fire for them, and he added: "I'll tell you what--you all come and have
supper with us. I'll bet you've talked about playing at gipsies often
enough; well, we'll get a real gipsy supper--a slap-up one. What's the
time?"

He looked at the sun. "Nearly five. Well, we'll have supper at
half-past seven, and we'll do you proud. Will you come?"

Janet considered.

"Of course, Janet," said Robert.

"Why don't you say yes?" said Gregory.

Hester shrank a little towards the Slowcoach, and Janet went to talk to
Kink.

She came back and thanked the gipsy, but said that they would not all
come, but the boys would gladly do so.

"I'm sorry you won't be there," said the man. "But we'll give the young
gents a square meal--and tasty, too! Something to relish! What do you
say, now," he asked Gregory, "to a hedgehog? I don't expect you've ever
eaten that."

"Hedgehog!" said Gregory. "No, but I've always wanted to." And, in
fact, he had been thinking of nothing else for the last five minutes.

"You shall have it," said the man. "Baked or stewed?"

"Which is best?" Gregory asked.

"Stewed," said the man. "But if you'd like it baked--Or, I'll tell you.
We'll have one of each. We got two to-day. This shall be a banquet."

The gipsi