“More like it,” agreed Nat. “She knows about the birds and the goods and they (the other gypsies) know that she will give them away if she gets the chance, so they are keeping the chance at a distance. Then, she was inspired, yes, I would call it inspired” (for both Tavia and Ned had attempted to faint when Nat grew eloquent). “I say she was inspired,” he repeated, “to send the message a la pigeon. Now it’s ‘up to us’ to go to the swamp and do the rest.”
“No, I insist,” said Dorothy, with marked emphasis, “that I must go first. I must, if possible, see Urania, and by some sign find out from her how the ground lays. Then, if all is ready, we may proceed to the swamp.”
“ Aladdin and the seven Robbers were not in it with this stunt,” exclaimed Tavia, with a hearty laugh. “I hope I don’t get locked in the cave. This is certainly mysterious. I suppose we will have to get out our boots to go a-swamping. I tried that gully once, and came out wiser than I went in. Also heavier. I brought back with me a ton of splendid yellow mud.”
“Now, the thing for you all to do,” advised Dorothy, with much seriousness, “is to keep this matter very quiet. Don’t say a word about it to any one, remember, not even to John. Then, I’ll go out and try to see Urania, and find out what it all means. When I come back, which I will do in an hour at the most, we can go to the swamp and—”
“And swamp the swampers,” interrupted Nat. “I had made up my mind to swat the fellow I would find guilty of swiping those birds, but now I’m content to swamp and swat the swipers.”
“Great,” admitted Ned. “But first catch your bird, that’s the old way, I believe. After you have the bird, you may turn on the swipsy swampy swipping.”
“Couldn’t I go with you, Doro?” asked Tavia, “you might need some protection. There’s no telling what our friends may want to steal next.”
“Oh, I’m not a bit afraid,” replied Dorothy. “I know the folks at the camp.”
“But just the same,” cautioned Ned, “it might be more prudent to take Tavia along. I have heard there are other gypsies about than those in the camp. And two girls are better than one, if it is only a case of yell.”
“But if Urania sees any one with me she is sure to hide,” protested Dorothy. “She has been running away from me for days.”