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The singing had stopped some time, so it might be that the gipsies were asleep.

Hugh climbed over the sleeping children carefully and looked out of one of the side windows. The men were all lying down in different ways, and by the light of the fire they looked asleep. Then Hugh put his head through the open window, and believed he heard, or fancied he heard, nothing but snores.

'Do you think we can squeeze through?' asked he of his brother.

'I can, I am sure,' answered Harry. I do not know about you.'

'I can but try, Harry; but how ever shall we climb up to reach the window?'

'I saw a stool in the next room. I will fetch it.' Harry did so, and the stool was placed against the window.

'You first,' said Harry; 'for if you stick halfway, it will be of no use my trying.'

So Hugh went first, and happily he did not stick half-way; but he nearly fell on his head on the other side. He made such a noise, that he was afraid he should wake the gipsies; but they slept on, and presently Harry climbed after him.

Poor little Harry no sooner began to squeeze himself through the window than the gipsies, two

of them, woke up; they had been half-waked by the noise Hugh had made.

Up jumped a man, calling out 'Hallo!' and Hugh had only time to walk into the shade of the trees, when the gipsy man ran to the caravan, and caught Harry hanging half-way out of the window. He pulled him out altogether, and set him on his feet.

'Where's the other one?' asked he.

'Run away,' said Harry, seeing that his brother was safe.

So they tied Harry to the trunk of one of the trees, so that he should not run away too, and telling him that he should get a beating presently, they began to rouse themselves up and be very busy, for the day was breaking fast. They could not have had more than two hours' sleep at the most; for now it was only beginning to be daylight. But perhaps gipsies do not want so much sleep as other people. Hugh and Harry wished that they did.

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HE gipsies were going away from the place where they had spent the night. Hugh, from where he was hidden amongst the trees, could guess that; for they drew out the caravan, and a man

led a horse from somewhere out of the way where he had been tethered, and they put the horse into the shafts, and all the time the women were packing away the things-hanging pots one side, and kettles another, and baskets sticking out anywhere, as you may have seen caravans. Then the children crawled out and ran about. They did not seem to require any washing or dressing; at any rate, they did not get any. I think they had slept in their clothes, which was a very dirty plan. One thing was, that the gipsy children's faces and hands were so

dark that they did not show the dirt so much as you would.

Hugh saw all these things, as he sat crouched down in the middle of a thick bush. He was afraid of stirring lest he should be seen or heard by the gipsies. Some better feelings had come into Hugh's heart since he had heard Harry's story about the night; and he felt sorry that he had brought his little brother into all this trouble; and now, he would not go out of sight or hearing of Harry, lest the gipsies should hurt him.

It was God who had put these better feelings into the heart of Hugh. Are not you glad that he is growing a better boy?

And poor little Harry saw all that the gipsies were doing, and he kept wondering whether they would give him the beating he had been promised as soon as they had packed up; and whether they would untie him and take him with them when they were ready to start; and what would become of Hugh when they were all gone.

Oh, if I could only once get loose,' thought Harry, and find Hugh, I would try to get back to Uncle Tom's; and if he does whip me, it can't be much after the beating I have had. But I have been a very wicked boy, and I deserve to be beaten.'

Harry tried to wriggle himself out of the rope which tied him to the tree; but it was of no use; the knots were too well tied, and he only hurt himself. At last the gipsies talked together for a few minutes, and then they began to move away.

Harry screamed, Don't leave me! don't leave me here, tied up all alone! I shall die, here all alone. There will be nobody to untie me; there will be nothing for me to eat or drink. Untie me! untie me! Come back! don't leave me !'

But the caravan went on, with all the men and women and children following; and they took no notice, only one of the men, the one who had promised Harry the beating, turned round and held up at him a great cart-whip and laughed.

I think they left him tied, because it would give them time to get out of the way before Harry could tell the police which way they had gone. They felt sure that some one would come and search the wood for them before long. They did not intend Harry to be left. there to starve ; they were not so very wicked as that.

But poor Harry knew none of their thoughts. He did not remember about the police; he did not know the reason the gipsies were in such a hurry to get away; and, perhaps, if he had thought of the police coming in search of them, he would

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