hadn't been for these brats."

"Then do as I say," said Diana. "I'll manage it for you. Big Tony can
carry one, and I the other."

But Mick only turned away with an oath.

[Illustration: "HERE'S SOME SUPPER FOR YOU. WAKE UP, AND TRY AND EAT A
BIT. IT'LL DO YOU GOOD."--p. 89.]

Big Tony was the name of the gipsy boy. He never spoke, and never seemed
to take any interest in anything, for he was half-witted, as it is
called; though Duke and Pamela only thought him very sulky and silent
compared with the friendly little Tim. By this time they were too
completely tired to think about anything--they even felt too stupid to
wonder if they were on the way home or not--and when Diana lifted Pamela
off the donkey and set her down, still wrapped in the shawl, to lean
with her back against a tree, Duke crept up to her, drawing a corner of
the shawl round him, for he too was very cold by now, poor little
boy--and sat there by his sister, both of them in a sort of half stupor,
too tired even to know that they were very hungry!

They did fall asleep--though they did not know it till they were roused
by some one gently pulling them.

"Here's some supper for you. Wake up, and try and eat a bit. It'll do
you good," the gipsy Diana was saying to them; and when they managed to
open their sleepy eyes, they saw that she had a wooden bowl in one hand,
in which some hot coffee was steaming, and a hunch of bread in the
other. It was not very good coffee, and neither Duke nor Pamela was