“You had best let him come,” said Harriet, “for the police are looking for you, and you’ll get into dreadful hot water if you keep the little boy.”
“We took charge of him,” said the man, sulkily; but a frightened look crossed his face when Harriet spoke of the police. “He were a poor lonely little gent, and we took pity on him.”
“They were awfu’ kind to me!” said Ralph. “They’re very nice gipsy people; and see, they give me this.”
He showed his basket with great pride to Harriet.
“See!” he continued, “there’s things inside—a knife, and matches, and all sorts of other things.”
“That don’t matter now,” said Harriet. “You must come back; they’re dreadfully frightened about you at school, and so was I. Gipsy man,” said Harriet, looking up at the tall man, “will you please saddle a horse, and put Ralph on its back, and put me there too, for I am dreadfully tired, and take us to Abbeyfield, and please be quick.”
“When my father comes back,” said Ralph, “I will talk to him about you, gipsy man, and about you, pretty gipsy lady.” Here he took Flavia’s hand. “And he shall give you money—much—and big money; and I will come and see you again, for I love you all.”
“We’d best take him back,” said the man, looking at the toothless old crone, “or we’ll get into trouble with the per-lice.”
“Yes,” said Harriet, gravely, “and you had best be quick.”
So early in the morning the children went back to the school on the gipsy’s tall horse, and the gipsy himself led them. Ralph talked all the way back, and was very gay and very happy; and when he parted from the gipsy man he insisted on kissing him, which surprised that person very much.