attention while she
related the history of the afternoon's mishaps.

"And now that stupid Ben, who is really a very nice boy under ordinary
circumstances, has gone off and left me and almost anything could have
happened,--wolves, Indians, half-breeds--" she added, thinking of the
treacherous Lupos.

After she had finished, the young man stood for a moment thinking.

"My name is Richard Hook, ma'am, at your service," he said. "The only
thing I could suggest is for me to unhitch Dobbin here and ride him down
the road to look for your party and leave you with my sister, Maggie,
and her friend. This is as good a place as any other for us to put up
for the night. You might as well start supper, girls. Perhaps this lady
is hungry."

"I am," interjected Miss Campbell fervently.

So it happened that Richard Hook went ambling off into the twilight on
old Dobbin while Maggie Hook and her friend, Amy Swinnerton, made Miss
Campbell comfortable in the van and prepared to cook supper.

"And you are not Gypsies after all?" asked the little lady, watching one
of the girls light a bracket lamp on the wall of the van.

"No, indeed," laughed Maggie Hook. "Not by birth at least, but I think
we have something of the Gypsy spirit because we love to spend our
summers in this way. Have you never seen a van?"

Miss Campbell could not say that she had and looked about her with much
interest.

"These are our beds, you see," Amy explained. "The top one folds up and
we use the lower one for a divan. Richard sleeps in a tent. This is the
dressing room," she continued with as much pride as a custodian showing
a sightseer over an ancient castle.

A little space had been curtained off in the back and behind this hung a
mirror over a small dressing table, and a row of hooks for clothes.

"And this is your kitchen?" asked Miss Campbell, indicating a row of
plates and cups on a plate rack and a small kerosene stove, at one side
opposite the beds.

"That and a chafing dish and a camp fire," answered Maggie Hook. "But we
mostly prefer the fire. I'll get things started here to-night and when
Richard comes he can make us a fire if he dares. I believe the laws
around here are pretty strict about fires."

"Well, my dears, it is assuredly the most complete and delightful little
traveling home I ever saw," exclaimed Miss Campbell, after she had
looked over the entire van and then seated herself in a rocking chair
to watch preparations for supper.