The boys turned back toward the more thickly populated part of the town, in search of a guardian of the law, of whom there were half a dozen, or more, in Middleford.
Meanwhile there was plenty of excitement at the Anderson home. Mrs. Anderson and the girls went carefully over the room in which the fortunes had been told, but only to confirm the first suspicion—the ring was gone.
“Couldn’t you have left it on your dresser, mother?” asked Mabel, with tears in her eyes.
“I’ve looked there. No, I distinctly remember laying it on the table when I put away some books,” for the little room was used as a sort of storeroom. “Jennie called me for something or other. I meant to come back and get my ring. But I never gave it another thought until you asked me about the fortune telling. Then I happened to recall that you might go in that room, to be private, and I came down. But the prophetess had gone,” she finished rather pathetically.
“And also your lovely diamond ring!” sobbed Mabel. “The one papa gave you for the wedding anniversary. Oh, it’s all my fault!”
“Not at all, Mabel!” exclaimed Mrs. Anderson. “How could you know I had left my ring there?”
“And how could we know that Gypsy was a—thief?” burst out Marie.
“Oh, I do hope the boys catch her!” murmured Alice.
“Will—will they be in any danger?” asked Natalie timidly.
“What! Three of them to one little Gypsy girl? I guess you don’t know our brothers!” exclaimed Mabel.
“No, I never had any, you see,” responded Natalie with a smile. “But I was thinking she might get to where her people are, and those Gypsy men aren’t the most gentle individuals, I’ve heard.”
“I have it!” burst out Marie. “The police! We can telephone to them, and ask them to go and protect the boys.”
“Perhaps it would be a good idea,” suggested Mrs. Anderson. “I don’t like the fuss and notoriety, but I do want my ring back, and I wouldn’t like the boys to run into any danger. You had better telephone, Mabel.”
Soon the wire to the police station was in use, with Mabel on one end and the somewhat venerable chief on the other.
“Oh!” gasped Mabel. “There’s been a robbery here, Chief. Mother’s diamond ring, that father gave her for a wedding present. It was a lovely ring, and——”