s a sound of
jolly, masculine laughter and around a corner of the house came the
boys.

"Oh, I've never been so glad to see anybody in all my life!" said Grace
with a little shiver, as the boys paused to gaze after the retreating
form of the old hag. "It is such a relief to have some boys around!"

"I say! who's your venerable friend, Grace?" Roy inquired as he and his
friends joined the girls.

"Yes, what did you do to her, Betty?" It was Allen Washburn who asked
the question. He was a young lawyer, liked and admired by every one in
Deepdale, and let it be said here that Betty was no exception to the
general rule. And as for young Allen Washburn himself, he never sought
to conceal his genuine admiration for the Little Captain. "The last I
saw of her, she was shaking her fist at the house. She didn't seem to be
in any too sweet a temper, either."

"It was just because we wouldn't let her read our fortunes," Betty
explained. "Oh, I wouldn't let that old thing touch me!"

"I could tell your fortune for you, if you'd only let me," whispered
Allen, so softly that only Betty heard. But that was as it should be,
since it was intended for her ear alone.

"She looked just like a--oh, what do you call them?--the people that
wander around all the time and never have any homes--oh, I know,
gypsies," said Amy eagerly. "Wasn't she a gypsy, Will?"

"Oh, now she's gone and spilled the beans!" said Frank, so ruefully
that they all laughed. "Here we come, all primed to give you a surprise,
and we find you prepared beforehand."

"But what surprise?" asked Mollie. "She didn't tell us anything--we
wouldn't let her."

"Yes, she did. She told you everything, only you don't know it," was
Will's enigmatic comment. "You see," he went on, "there's a gypsy
encampment near by and we thought you girls might like to visit it. The
caravans they use and the strange costumes are all mighty interesting."

"Oh, won't that be fine!" said Grace eagerly. "I've always wanted to see
one of those things near by. When can we go?"

"I thought you didn't like gypsies, Grace," Betty broke in.

"Well, I wouldn't if they were all like this," answered Grace. "But
they're not, are they, Roy? There are lots and lots of really
romantic-looking ones if all the books I've read know anything about
it."

"Of course there are. You don't suppose we'd take you to see a lot of
old crones like this peppery woman, do you?" Roy answered. "Why, I've
heard there are