CHAPTER XVII

THE GYPSY QUEEN’S MOVE

“Unless you want to queer the whole business, Lanky, you’ve got to hold yourself in check better,” Frank said, cautiously, making sure that none of the gypsy men was close enough to hear him whisper in this fashion.

“That’s right,” muttered the other, in a penitent fashion. “I’m always forgettin’ and blurtin’ things out. And it’s sure lucky for me I’ve got you handy to put me wise to things. I’ll try and chuck it from now on, Frank, believe me, I will.”

“Then laugh right now, and don’t look as sober as if you’d got word your great-grandfather’d died, and forgot you in his will,” Frank went on to say, jokingly. “Because I can see someone watching us from the big wagon of the queen, right now. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s spotted us as the two boys who were in the camp that other time, and means to keep tabs on us.”

“Oh! I’ll be on my guard, I promise you, Frank,” Lanky went on to say, with his teeth tightly clenched. “It’s a shame to upset all our fine work by a mistake on my part. But do we turn away now; or hang around the camp a little, to see if we can’t get a peep at that girl?”

“Might as well stay here a while,” was the reply his chum made. “It’d look sort of queer if we pushed along in too big a hurry. What we want to do is to act natural, and do what any fellow would be apt to, if he just happened along.”

So they walked over to the camp. Most of the gypsies had returned by now. After being so familiar with the two boys, and receiving such important information from them, they seemed to look at Frank and Lanky in rather a friendly way. The boys might wander all about now, and see whatever they wanted, without being greeted by the usual black scowls.

“Say, Frank,” remarked Lanky, presently, as they were watching some of the women hang a black kettle over a fire by means of a chain, that had a hook at one end, the other being secured to a stout iron bar above.

“Well, what is it now?” asked his companion, without turning his head, as he found himself very much interested in the operation.

“She’s beckonin’ to us!” Lanky continued, in a somewhat awed voice.

“Who do you mean?” asked Frank, beginning to take notice.

“The old lady, the queen bee of the hive, you know,” replied the other.

At that Frank turned his head.

“That’s right, she is,” he remarked; “and we’ll have to step over that way, Lanky. Now, keep your wits about you, and don’t give yourself away. Like as not she only wants to ask us some questions about the athletic meet.”

They started toward the place where the old queen sat on a three-legged stool, close to the steps leading up to the rear of the huge, painted van that served as her house, as well as means of conveyance over the roads.

Lanky felt sure he would now find some sort of opportunity for proving whether his belief about the little girl could be founded on facts, or imagination. At the same time he was inwardly resolved to let Frank do most of the talking, content on his own part to just “look around.”

“You are the boy who brought me the paper to sign; am I right?” asked the gypsy queen, as Frank reached her side.

“Yes, we were here the other day, and brought that paper,” he replied.

“My men have been telling me much about some sort of circus that will be in your town this week; and they said you could explain what it was?” she continued, keeping her sharp black eyes fastened on their faces.

“Why, yes, sure we can,” Lanky spoke up. “Frank, oblige the lady; I’m talked out.”

So Frank did explain about the rivalries of the three schools, and how they came together at various times to find out which could excel in all sorts of sports such as healthy boys like.

He described these things so well that he really interested the gypsy woman. She could understand how boys liked such sports, for the lads of the camp were always wrestling, boxing, shooting, or fishing, as the chance arose.

Lanky could not keep his eyes away from the big wagon. It seemed to him that he heard some sort of slight movement within the van; and no doubt he was picturing in his mind the frightened, yet eager, little girl crouching there, wanting to show herself to them, yet shrinking from arousing the anger of the black-eyed old queen.

“Your friend seems to be interested in my new wagon,” remarked the gypsy, suddenly, and Lanky started, fearing that he had betrayed a fatal curiosity; but he drew a breath of relief when she continued, using language that surprised Frank, as it told him the woman must have a certain amount of education: “If you would like, I will be glad to show you how it is arranged inside. It is what they call the last thing in road wagons. And you have been kind to tell my people about the chance of trading horses in the crowd that is coming to the circus.”

Frank saw her eyes sparkle while she was saying this. He immediately guessed that she had a very good reason for talking in that way, though he could not understand what it might be.

“If you don’t mind,” he remarked, showing a fair amount of eagerness, “we would like to see how it is fixed inside. I’ve never really examined one of these road wagons, and always wanted to.”

“Come inside with me, then, both of you,” continued the queen, rising from her stool, and starting up the three steps leading to the closed door.

Frank heard Lanky draw a long breath. He laid a hand on the other’s arm as they started after the gypsy woman; and Lanky understood that this was meant for a warning to him.

“All right, Frank,” he muttered, calming down again.

When the door of the big van had been opened, the interior was exposed to view. And the first thing the two lads discovered was a girl of about eight or nine years of age, sitting curled up on a cushion. She had big dark eyes, and hair that was almost purplish black. Her skin was as dusky as that of any of the men.

“This is my grandchild,” explained the old woman, with something like pride in her voice, for the girl was decidedly handsome, though very bold looking. “When I die she will be the queen after me. It is understood by the tribe. She comes of royal blood, does Mena.”

Then she began to explain what the many appliances were for, that they saw in the wagon. The girl seemed to understand that she had better go away while the old queen was telling these two town boys about her new van, for she left the vehicle.

Lanky followed her with his eyes. Frank could see a puzzled expression on the face of his chum, and that he was shaking his head, as though unable to make out how he had come to mistake a girl like that for a little thing begging for his assistance.

Evidently Lanky’s ambition had dropped until it was now very near the zero mark.

Frank was genuinely interested in all the wonderful arrangements which the new traveling van had for sleeping, cooking, and even writing; though a gypsy is not supposed to do much of this last.

He asked numerous questions, just as the men had done when seeking information concerning the coming athletic contests. And the old woman did not seem at all averse about telling him whatever he wanted to know.

Frank, however, was not so wrapped up in his desire to learn facts but what he could use his eyes to good advantage. And he noticed that several times while she was thus explaining things, the old gypsy would shoot a triumphant glance over in the direction of Lanky.

Apparently she must have guessed something of the motive that influenced that Columbia High student to wander out to the camp on this Sunday afternoon. And no doubt she was chuckling to herself over her success in hoodwinking Lanky. His blank face gave her satisfaction, Frank felt sure. And he believed he knew the reason for it, too.

After spending at least fifteen minutes in the big van talking with the owner, who seemed much more intelligent than Frank had ever believed any gypsy could be, the boys made a move as if to go.

“Will you come again?” she asked, seeming to direct the query toward Lanky; and that worthy took it upon himself to reply.

“I hardly think so. You see, we’re in the big run that winds up the meet, and after school we’ll have to be practicing, so as to keep in condition. Besides,” with a sigh, “I guess we’ve seen _everything_ now.”

Lanky was plainly much disheartened as he started to leave the gypsy camp. He even failed to answer the parting remarks from several of the men, who seemed to rather look upon the two boys in the light of friends, after receiving so much information that promised to be valuable to them as horse traders. And so Frank had to wave a good-bye for both of them.

They walked down the road side by side, heading toward the town. Lanky appeared to be wrapped up in his gloomy thoughts, and presently Frank gave him a sly punch in the ribs, bringing out a grunt.

“What ails you, old chum?” demanded Frank, in a joking tone. “You pull a long enough face to stand for seven first-class funerals.”

“It’s all off, Frank!” grumbled the other.

“Oh! you mean the little racket you were working; is that what makes you look so sad?” demanded Frank.

“I was foolish and that’s the trouble!” said Lanky savagely.

“Well, I don’t like to dispute a gentleman’s word, when he’s bent on giving an opinion of himself; but I’d like to know why you say that?” Frank remarked.

“To think that I’d mistake that half-grown gypsy girl for a little one has me badgered some, I tell you, Frank.”

“Perhaps after all, Lanky, you didn’t make such a big mistake as you think!”

“What’s that you’re giving me, Frank; not taffy, I hope?” cried the tall boy, as he whirled around on his companion, eagerly.

“There may have been a small child in that wagon, Lanky, when we first came near the gypsy camp. I didn’t tell you before; but the fact is, I sure saw the old woman hustle some little figure, bundled in a red shawl, down those three steps, and then another gypsy woman lead her off into the woods!”

“Oh! Frank, is that so?” burst from the delighted Lanky, his eyes sparkling once more with renewed interest. “You saw all that, did you, when we were talking with the gypsy men? Aren’t you the swift bunch, though, to get on to everything, while I stand around with my mouth open, but my eyes stuck fast? Then she sent the little girl away, and asked us to take a look around in her wagon just to pull the wool over my eyes? And, Frank, she’d ’a’ done it for me, right up to the notch, only for you being so smart!”