He seized a chair, leaped up into it, and with his long arms was enabled to tear down the blazing hangings. These he thrust into the bowl of water.
"Oh, Roberto! your hands are burned!" cried Ruth, darting to his side, as the fire was quenched.
"Never you mind, little Missy——"
He halted, staring at her. Then his face flushed like fire and his eyes dropped before her accusing gaze.
"You can speak!" exclaimed the girl from the Red Mill. "You can!"
"He's gotten back his tongue!" cried Helen, in surprise. "Isn't that wonderful?"
But Ruth was sure, by the Gypsy boy's shamefaced look, that there was nothing wonderful about it at all. Roberto had been able to speak all the time, but he did not wish to. Now, in his excitement, he had betrayed the fact.
There was too much confusion just then for the matter to be discussed or explained. The girls, seeing that the fire was out, scattered at once to their rooms. Roberto left instantly by the window, and Ruth helped Nettie and her roommates repair the damage as well as possible.
"I'll buy new curtains for the windows," said the "sugar king's" daughter. "And I'm only glad nothing worse happened."
"The worst hasn't happened yet," giggled one of her roommates.