d woman.

"Have you--seen anything--of--two--children--a little boy, and a
girl in black?"

"Chickens? black chickens?" said the old woman, with an angry shake of
the head; "no, I hain't got no chickens for yer. My pullet's white, and
I set a heap on't an' wouldn't sell it to nobody as come askin' oncivil
questions of a lone, lorn widdy. Besides, the cat eat it up las' week,
feathers 'n' all."

Mr. Breynton concluded there was not much information to be had in that
quarter, and drove on.

A little way farther they came across a small boy turning somersets in
the ditch. Mr. Breynton stopped again and repeated his questions.

"How many of 'em?" asked the boy, with a thoughtful look.

"Two, a boy and a girl."

"Two?"

"Yes."

"A boy and a girl?"

"Yes."

"You said one was a boy and t'other was a girl?" repeated the small boy,
looking very bright.

"Yes. The boy was quite small, and the girl wore a black dress. They're
lost, and we're trying to find them."

"Be you, now, really!" said the small boy, apparently struck with sudden
and overwhelming admiration. "That is terribly good in you. Seems to me
now I reckon I see two young uns 'long here somewhars, didn't I? Le' me
see."

"Oh, where, where?" cried Gypsy. "Oh, I'm so glad! Did the little boy
have on a plaid jacket and brown coat?"

"Waal, now, seems as ef 'twas somethin' like that."

"And the girl wore a hat and a long veil?" pursued Gypsy, eagerly.

"Was she about the height of this girl here, and whereabouts did you see
her?" asked Tom.

"Waal, couldn't tell exactly; somewhars between here an' the village, I
reckon. Seems to me she did have a veil or suthin'."

"And she was real pale?" cried Gypsy, "and the boy was dreadfully
muddy?"

"Couldn't say as to that"--the small boy began to hesitate and look
very wise--"don't seem to remember the mud, and on the whole, I ain't
partiklar sure 'bout the veil. Oh, come to think on't, it wasn't a gal;
it was a deaf old woman, an' there warn't no boy noways."

Well was it for the small boy that, as the carriage rattled on, he took
good care to be out of the reach of Tom's whip-lash.

It grew darker and colder, and the red moon rode on silently in the sky.
They had come now to the opening of the cross-road, but there were no
signs of the children--only the still road and the shadows under the
trees.

"Hark! what's that?" said Mr. Breynton, suddenly. He stopped the
carriage, and they all listened. A