Anne entered the small field now, but uttered no exclamation of surprise when she found that all the tents, with the exception of one, had been removed, and that this tent also was being rapidly taken down by a man and a girl, while a tall boy stood by, holding a donkey by the bridle.
Annie wasted no time in looking for Nan here. Before the girl and the man could see her, she darted behind a bush, and removing her little bag of money, hid it carefully under some long grass; then she pulled a very bright yellow sash out of her pocket, tied it round her blue cotton dress, and leaving her little shawl also on the ground, tripped gayly up to the tent.
She saw with pleasure that the girl who was helping the man was about her own size. She went up and touched her on the shoulder.
“Look here,” she said, “I want to make such a pretty play by-and-by—I want to play that I’m a gipsy girl. Will you give me your clothes, if I give you mine? See, mine are neat, and this sash is very handsome. Will you have them? Do. I am so anxious to play at being a gipsy.”
The girl turned and stared. Annie’s pretty blue print and gay sash were certainly tempting bait. She glanced at her father.
“The little lady wants to change,” she said in an eager voice.
The man nodded acquiescence, and the girl taking Annie’s hand, ran quickly with her to the bottom of the field.
“You don’t mean it, surely?” she said. “Eh, but I’m uncommon willing.”
“Yes, I certainly mean it,” said Annie. “You are a dear, good, obliging girl, and how nice you will look in my pretty blue cotton! I like that striped petticoat of yours, too, and that gay handkerchief you wear round your shoulders. Thank you so very much. Now, do I look like a real, real gipsy?”
“Your hair ain’t ragged enough, miss.”