to have Capi perform his
tricks in the intervals. We agreed and promised to be there the next day
at the time he mentioned.

When I told of this arrangement to my father he said that he wanted Capi
and that we could not have him. I wondered if they were going to make my
dog do some dirty trick. From my look my father guessed my thoughts.

"Oh, it's all right," he said; "Capi's a good watch dog; he must stand
by the caravans. In a crowd like we shall have we might easily be
robbed. You two go alone and play with your friend Bob, and if you are
not finished until late, which will be quite likely, you can join us at
the Old Oak Tavern. We shall go on our way again to-morrow."

We had spent the night before at the Old Oak Tavern, which was a mile
out on a lonely road. The place was kept by a couple whose appearance
did not inspire one with confidence. It was quite easy to find this
place. It was on a straight road. The only annoying thing was that it
was a long walk for us after a tiring day.

But when my father said a thing I had to obey. I promised to be at the
Tavern. The next day, after tying Capi to the caravan, where he was to
be on guard, I hurried off to the race-course with Mattia.

We began to play as soon as we arrived and kept it up until night. My
fingers ached as though they had been pricked with a thousand pins and
poor Mattia had blown his cornet so long that he could scarcely breathe.
It was past midnight. Just as they were doing their last turn a big bar
of iron which they were using in their feats fell on Mattia's foot. I
thought that his foot was broken. Fortunately it was only severely
bruised. No bones were broken, but still he could not walk.

It was decided that he should stay there that night with Bob and that I
should go on alone to the Old Oak Tavern, for I had to know where the
Driscoll family was going the next day. All was dark when I reached the
tavern. I looked round for the caravans. They were nowhere to be seen.
All I could see, beside one or two miserable wagons, was a big cage from
which, as I drew near, came the cry of a wild beast. The beautiful gaudy
colored caravans belonging to the Driscoll family were gone.

I knocked at the tavern door. The landlord opened it and turned the
light from his lantern full on my face. He recognised me, but instead of
letting me go in he told me to hurry after my parents, who had gone to
Lewes, and said that I'd better not lose any time joining the