Tad gladly consented, and as the air was growing chill, he joined the group of gipsies as they gathered closer round the fire. The young woman took the baby from him, and fondled and rocked it while Tad ate his supper.
"'Tain't long since she lost her own child," said one of the men to Tad, "and this little un ain't onlike him."
When the lad had finished his meal, he thought he had perhaps better set off on a little spying expedition, to see if the coast was clear for him to take the baby home; for he did not wish to be met by any search parties coming to look for him and his little charge.
But to do his spying safely; he ought to leave the child here; and turning to the young woman, who was walking to and fro with the baby, crooning to it, and putting it to sleep in the usual motherly fashion, he said:
"I've got a errand to run, missis, and maybe it'll take me a hour or more. Would you have the goodness just to mind the little un for me till I can come back for him? I'll be as quick as I can."
"It'll be all right," replied the woman, with an eager light in her dark eyes. "I'll see to the baby. You needn't hurry, neither. He's goin' off to sleep again, and there's no fear but what he'll be quite quiet and content."
Thanking her warmly, away went the Tadpole, carrying his big head high, and putting all possible speed into his slender body and thin legs. He spent over an hour in dodging about and looking here and there for possible pursuers. But he met no search parties, and feeling now more sure than ever of being able to carry out his plan to the very end, he came leisurely back to the common where he had left the gipsy camp.
It was quite dark now; he could just see the dull glow of the fire's dying embers, but nothing else. As he came nearer, however, what were his surprise and dismay to find that the place was deserted. Gone were the carts, the horses, the people, and worst of all, gone too was the baby. It was as if the whole encampment had melted into thin air—vanished as utterly as the scenes of a dream.
"They must have crossed the common and come out into a road beyond," thought Tad.
And hoping to overtake them and get back the child, he started at a quick run, often stumbling in the darkness, and once or twice falling outright. After going some distance, he reached a place where four roads met, leading off in various directions. Meanwhile the darkness had deepened, no moon or stars lightened the gloom, and Tad began to realise the hopelessness of trying to follow the gipsies, who, no doubt, had employed their usual cunning to elude pursuit. Utterly baffled and at fault in his search, and well-nigh stunned by the misfortune that had come upon him, the lad stood still at the cross roads, and tried to collect his thoughts.