“We are almost there,” declared Marie consulting her elaborate directions. “It’s about half a mile from this spring,” and she pointed at the one where they had halted for another drink—a spring stone-lined, in the center of a grassy plot, and shaded by a great, gnarled oak. A spring so clear that the sand bottom seemed but a few inches below the surface. Yet when they replenished their water bottles they realized that it was nearly three feet deep. Cold and refreshing was the water.
And then, a little later, they emerged from the forest and stood on the shore of Bear Pond. They could look down its lonesome length and see the rock where they had first stood. The place did not seem to have changed.
“It’s as dreary and Dead Sea-like as before,” said Natalie in a whisper. Somehow it seemed natural to whisper at Bear Pond.
“Well, now to see if we can locate the Gypsy camp,” suggested Mrs. Bonnell. “It is early yet. We don’t want lunch for an hour. Let’s explore a bit first.”
They walked on, keeping as near to the shore of the lake as possible. Suddenly Natalie, who was in the lead, held up a hand for silence.
From somewhere in the woods ahead of them came the sounds of barking.
“And Gypsies always have lots of dogs,” added Mabel.
They pushed on. The barking became plainer. They saw a gleam of white amid the trees.
“The Gypsy camp!” exclaimed Natalie. “We’ve found it!”
They hesitated for a moment in the shrubbery, before going forward. They had come upon the camp before they had quite expected to, and, truth to tell, they had formed no definite plan of action. Their chief desire had been to find the place where the wanderers had set up their tents and gaudy wagons, and, now that it lay almost at their feet, they were unprepared.
“Let’s go up, and pretend we want our fortunes told,” suggested Alice. “Then we can look about, and see if there is a girl there, like the one who was at Mabel’s house.”
“And if there is?” asked Natalie. “If Hadee is there?”
“Then we can go back and tell the constable,” put in Marie. “It does seem a shame to have her—or any one arrested, but then they mustn’t go about taking pocket-books—and—rings!”
“Suppose it isn’t the same one?” suggested Mabel.
“Well, that’s what we have to learn,” answered Alice. “I say let’s walk right in, as though we had come here by accident and wanted to have our palms read.”