“It’s worse enough,” remarked the lad in a less surly tone as they did so, “bein’ looked down by the Romany folk what says they are the true folks of the road, and calls us non-such and mumpers. Mumpers belike we is, but we work fair an’ honest fer a living, and the police passes us civil and knows us for such. An’ when two young ladies comes after us callin’ and arsking ef we’s seen the silver cup what’s advertised up in Woodhurst Police Station as stolen—” he broke off in a mutter.
“Oh dear!” said Gerry again, but sotto voce this time. Here was indeed a pickle.
“‘You can jest step back and track them then, Andy!’ so my Dad ses, ‘an’ we’ll show ’em whether we’ve got stole cups on board. The other young ladies ses as there was two more of ’em a-tracking. Well, bring ’em along,’ ses Dad. ‘If so be as we’s got to turn this here caravan back to the police station we’ll do it, and face the young ladies, yes, wiv the troof. The police gives us a civil word when they meets us, which is more than some young ladies does!’”
“It’s perfectly dreadful,” remarked Gerry to Betty. “It’s quite plain what’s happened. They’ve hailed the caravaners and offended them. And—oh, why, here they all are!”
The moor road where a caravan was standing.
Just over the third ridge they came in sight of the moor road again where a caravan was standing. The horse between the shafts was munching grass unconcernedly; but the driver—a grizzled, middle-aged man—was standing in an aggressive attitude still eyeing a pair of rather woebegone maidens.
“I say, here you are!” began Mona indignantly, as the others arrived. “Has he brought you? I wish you would explain that——”
“It’s explainings I wants,” burst out the owner of the caravan angrily. “Folks may be poor, but they’s honest too; and they’s got their feelings. And when two young ladies—” the plaint began again. “Mumpers we may be called by some, but we earns a living fair and square and honest in summer time by travelling. An’ the police treats us civil; and here we’s tracked down by young ladies what calls us up fer stolen cups!”