e seen.

Bridge shook his head ruefully. "We'll have to get out of this in
a hurry now," he said. "That little defective will have the whole
neighborhood on us in an hour."

"Oh, what can we do?" cried the girl. "They mustn't find us! I should
rather die than be found here with--" She stopped abruptly, flushed
scarlet as the other three looked at her in silence, and then: "I am
sorry," she said. "I didn't know what I was saying. I am so frightened.
You have all been good to me."

"I tell you what we do." It was Giova speaking in the masterful voice of
one who has perfect confidence in his own powers. "I know fine way out.
This wood circle back south through swamp mile, mile an' a half. The
road past Squeebs an' Case's go right through it. I know path there I
fin' myself. We on'y have to cross road, that only danger. Then we reach
leetle stream south of woods, stream wind down through Payson. We all
go Gypsies. I got lot clothing in house. We all go Gypsies, an' when we
reach Payson we no try hide--jus' come out on street with Beppo. Mak'
Beppo dance. No one think we try hide. Then come night we go 'way. Find
more wood an' leetle lake other side Payson. I know place. We hide there
long time. No one ever fin' us there. We tell two, three, four people
in Payson we go Oakdale. They look Oakdale for us if they wan' fin' us.
They no think look where we go. See?"

"Oh, I can't go to Payson," exclaimed the other girl. "Someone would be
sure to recognize me."

"You come in house with me," Giova assured her, "I feex you so your own
mother no know you. You mens come too. I geeve you what to wear like
Gypsy mens. We got lots things. My father, him he steal many things from
our people after they drive us out. He go back by nights an' steal."

The three followed her toward the little hovel since there seemed no
better plan than that which she had offered. Giova and the other girl
were in the lead, followed by Bridge and the boy. The latter turned to
the man and placed a hand upon his arm. "Why don't you leave us," he
asked. "You have done nothing. No one is looking for you. Why don't you
go your way and save yourself from suspicion."

Bridge did not reply.

"I believe," the youth went on, "that you are doing it for me; but why I
can't guess."

"Maybe I am," Bridge half acknowledged. "You're a good little kid, but
you need someone to look after you. It would be easier though if you'd
tell me the truth about yourself, which