"I didn't think you did," Peter replied, with surprising meekness; "of course there was no reason why you should have spoken to me— I only said I wished you had. I want to tell you how very, very sorry I am about that shilling. Please do believe that I didn't mean to insult you. I—I thought if you were so poor—" He broke off, looking greatly distressed.
"I wouldn't have taken your money if I'd been starving!" declared Tom.
"I didn't mean to insult you," Peter repeated, and, to Tom's amazement, there were actually tears in his eyes as he spoke. "How could I tell what sort of boy you were?"
"You might have seen, I should have thought!"
"Oh, but surely you know—" Peter was saying eagerly, when the two dogs, which had been regarding each other with hostile glances, began to snarl. "Oh, they're going to fight again!" he exclaimed; "what can we do?"
"You'd better go on," Tom said, gripping Tim by the collar; "I couldn't hold my dog if he struggled much—he's awfully strong. Don't wait any longer! Go on—do go on!"
Thus adjured, Peter did go on, and in a very few minutes disappeared, with Bounce, around the turn leading from the lane into the road.
"Well, that is the most extraordinary boy I have ever met," Tom reflected, as, having released Tim, he went along the lane; "the idea of his pretending he didn't recognise me in the town, or to-day either until I spoke! I don't think he can be quite right in his head."
By and by he came to a five-barred gate. It was locked, but he climbed over it and crossed two grass fields to a wood beyond. Through the wood he went, and into the road which passed by Hatwell Green. Five minutes later he had reached the gipsies' encampment.
Hatwell Green was a triangular piece of common ground, with fields on two sides and the high road on the other. There were several caravans there besides the Lees', and two tents; in front of one of the latter a group of children were playing, amongst whom was Zingra. The little girl left the others as soon as her bright dark eyes espied Tom, and made for the red and yellow caravan, calling for her mother. A moment later Mrs. Lee descended the steps of the caravan, and, with Zingra holding to her skirt, came and spoke to Tom. "Good morning, young gentleman," she said, smiling. "Look, Zingra, at the pretty doggie!"