He met no pedestrians at all. Being quite off the line of the railroad, there were no tramps on this road, and of course there was nothing else to harm the boy. His mother, in her anxiety, peopled the world with those that would do Sammy harm. In truth, he was never safer in his life!
But adventure? Why, the world was full of it, and Sammy Pinkney expected to meet any number of exciting incidents as he went on.
Sammy,
Dot Kenway once said, has just a wunnerful magination. Why! if he sees our old Sandyface creeping through the grass after a poor little field mouse, Sammy can think shes a whole herd of tigers. His magination is just wunnerful!
CHAPTER VII THE BRACELET AGAIN TO THE FORE
Their guardian had always been fond of the Kenway sisters since he had been appointed their guardian by the court, of course and Tess and Dot could not merely call at Mr. Howbridges door and drive right away again.
Besides, there were Ralph and Rowena Birdsall. The Birdsall twins had of late likewise come under Mr. Howbridges care, and circumstances were such that it was best for their guardian to take the twins into his own home.
Having two extremely active and rather willful children in his household had most certainly disturbed Mr. Howbridge out of the rut of his old existence. And Ralph and Rowena quite turned the ouse hupside down, to quote Hedden, Mr. Howbridges butler.
The moment the twins spied Tess and Dot in the pony phaeton they tore down the stairs from their quarters at the top of the Howbridge house, and flew out of the door to greet the little Corner House girls.
Oh, Tessie and Dot! cried Rowena, who looked exactly like her brother, only her hair was now grown long again and she no longer wore boys garments, as she had when the Kenways first knew her. How nice to see you!
Wheres Sammy? Ralph demanded. Why didnt he come along, too?
Were glad to see you, Rowena and Rafe, Tess said sedately.
But Dot replied eagerly to the boy twin:
Oh, Rafe! what do you think? Sammys run away again.
Get out!
Im going to, said Dot, considering Ralphs ejaculation of amazement an invitation to alight, and she forthwith jumped down from the step of the phaeton.
You cant mean that Sammy has run off? cried Ralph. Listen to this, Rowdy.
What a silly boy! criticised his sister.
I dont know, chuckled Ralph Birdsall. Member how you and I ran away that time, Rowdy?
Oh well, said his sister. We had reason for doing so. But you know Sammy Pinkneys got a father and a mother And for pitys sake, Rafe, stop calling me Rowdy.
And hes got a real nice bulldog, too, added Dot, reflectively considering any possibility why Sammy should run away. I cant understand why he does it. He only has to come back home again. I did it once, and I never mean to run away from home again.
Meanwhile Tess left Ralph to hitch Scalawag while she marched up the stone steps of the Howbridge house to deliver Ruths note into Heddens hand, who took it at once to Mr. Howbridge.
Dot interested the twins almost immediately in another topic. Rowena naturally was first to spy the silver girdle around the Alice-dolls waist.
What a splendid belt! cried Rowena Birdsall. Is it real silver, Dot?
It its fretful silver, replied the littlest Corner House girl. Isnt it pretty?
Why, declared Ralph after an examination, its an old, old bracelet.
Well, it is old, I spose, admitted Dot. But my Alice-doll doesnt know that. She thinks it is a brand new belt. But of course she cant wear it every day, for half the time the bracelet belongs to Tess.
This statement naturally aroused the twins curiosity, and when Tess ran back to join them in the front yard the story of the Gypsy basket and the finding of the bracelet lost nothing of detail by being narrated by both of the Corner House girls.
Oh, my! cried Rowena. Maybe those Gypsies are just waiting to grab you. Gypsies steal children sometimes. Dont they, Rafe?
Course they do, agreed her twin.
Dot looked rather frightened at this suggestion, but Tess scorned the possibility.
Why, how foolish, she declared. Dot and I were lost once all by ourselves. Even Tom Jonah wasnt with us. Werent we, Dot? And we slept out under a tree all night, and a nice Gypsy woman found us in the morning and took us to her camp. Didnt she, Dot?
Oh, yes! And an owl howled at us, agreed the smaller girl. And Id much rather sleep in a Gypsy tent than have owls howl at me.
The owl hooted , Dot, corrected Tess.
Well, whats the difference between a hoot and a howl? demanded Dot, rather crossly. She did so hate to be corrected!
Well, of course, said
Rowena Birdsall thoughtfully, if you are acquainted with Gypsies maybe you wouldnt be scared. But I dont believe they gave you this bracelet for nothing.
No, agreed Dot quickly. For forty-five cents. And we still owe Sammy Pinkney twenty-five cents of it. And hes run away.
So they got around again to the first exciting piece of news Tess and Dot had brought, and were discussing that when Mr. Howbridge came out to speak to the little visitors, giving them his written answer to Ruths note. He heard about Sammys escapade and some mention of the Gypsies.