It were 'most like
thunder. Did you all heah dat, honey lamb?"

"No, I didn't hear that, Dinah," answered Bert, with a laugh. "But
something or somebody brushed past our tent in the night, and woke up
Freddie. Then my father went outside and saw some one sneaking away."

"Oh, mah good lan' ob massy!" cried Dinah. "Dat's where mah bacon went
to! Wait until I tells your fader, honey lamb, an'----"

"No! Hold on! Wait a minute!" cried Bert, catching Dinah by her apron as
she was hurrying away. "Dad knows it already, and so does mother. I
guess they don't want to scare us children, but I'm not afraid. I'll
tell you what I think, Dinah."

"What's dat?"

"I think there are gypsies on this island, and that they're after
Flossie and Freddie!"

"Oh, mah goodness! Oh, mah goodness! Oh, mah goodness!" cried Dinah
quickly. It seemed she could think of nothing else to say.

"But I'm not afraid," went on Bert. "We'll just have to keep a good
watch, and not let those two little twins out of our sight. Don't tell
my mother or father that you know this. You and I and Nan will keep
watch."

"Dat's what we will!" exclaimed the fat cook. "An' if dem gypsies lays
so much as a fingernail on mah honey lambs I'll pull de gold rings offen
dere ears an' frow dish water on 'em--dat's what I'll do to dem
gypsies!"

"I wish we had Snap back, or that Whisker were a dog instead of a goat,"
said Bert. "But maybe if I let Whisker roam around the camp at night
he'll be as good as a watch dog."

"He can butt wif his horns," said Dinah.

"Yes, and he can make a bleating noise. That's what I'll do," said Bert.
"I'll use Whisker as a watch dog. Now don't say anything to father or
mother about our knowing there're gypsies here," went on Bert.

"I won't--I won't say a word," promised Dinah. "But I'll keep mah ole
eyes skinned fo' Flossie an' Freddie, an' so will Sam. It's got 't be
mighty smart gypsies dat'll take away mah honey lambs!"

Bert was really much excited by what he had seen and heard. The smashing
of the box, what his father and mother thought about it, the taking of
the bacon and the scare the night before--all this was quite a surprise.

"Are you sure it's gypsies?" asked Nan when her older brother told her
what had happened.

"I'm _sure_ of it," said Bert. "Now what you and I've got to do is to
keep a good watch over Flossie and Freddie. Course we're too big for the
gypsies to take, but they could easy walk away with those l