“But he had a horse and wagon. He had a business of his own. Where has he gone?” demanded the boy.
He was gone. That was all these people would tell him. They pointed out the old shed where Costello had kept his horse. Was it a good horse? It was a good looking horse, with smiles which seemed to indicate that Costello was a true Gypsy and was not above “doctoring” a horse into a deceiving appearance of worthiness.
“He drove away with that horse. He did not say where he was going. I guess he go to make a sale, eh? He will come back with some old plug that he make look fine, eh?”
This was the nearest to real information that Neale could obtain, and this from a youth who worked for one of the established junk dealers.
So Neale had to give up the inquiry as useless. When he came back to the old Corner House he confessed to Agnes:
“He is hiding somewhere, and coming around here after dark. Wish I had a shotgun—”
“Oh, Neale! How wicked!”
“Loaded with rock-salt,” grinned the boy. “A dose of that might do the Gyp. a world of good.”
CHAPTER XX—PLOTTERS AT WORK
The adventures of the Corner House girls and their friends did not usually include anything very terrible. Perhaps there was no particular peril threatened by Costello, the Gypsy junkman, who was lurking about the premises at night. Just the same, Agnes Kenway was inclined to do what Mrs. McCall suggested and throw the silver bracelet out upon the ash heap.