But they are pretty, murmured Tess.
Oh oo! See that nice green and yellow one with the cover, gasped Dot. Do you suppose weve got money enough to buy that one, Tess? How nice it would be to carry the childrens clothes in when we go on picnics.
By children Dot meant their dolls, of which, the two smaller Corner House girls possessed a very large number. Several of these children, besides the Alice-doll, were grouped upon a bench in the corner of the garage as a part of the circus audience. The remainder of the spectators were Sandyface and her family. Sandyface was now a great, great grandmother cat, and more of her progeny than one would care to catalog tranquilly viewed the little girls circus or rolled in kittenish frolic on the floor.
It sometimes did seem as though the old Corner House demesne was quite given up to feline inhabitants. And the recurrent appearance of new litters of kittens belonging to Sandyface herself, her daughters and granddaughters, had ceased to make even a ripple in the pool of Corner House existence.
This explanation regarding the dolls and cats is really aside from our narrative. Tess and Dot both viewed with eager eyes the particular covered basket held out enticingly by the old Gypsy woman.
Of course the little girls had no pockets in their gymnasium suits. But in a pocket of her raincoat which Tess had worn down to the garage over her blouse and bloomers, she found a dime and two pennies just enough for two ice-cream cones, Sammy Pinkey observed.
Oh! And my Alice-doll has eight cents in her cunning little beaded bag, cried Dot, with sudden animation.
She produced the coins. But there was only twenty cents in all!
I I What do you ask for that basket, please? Tess questioned cautiously.
Wont the pretty little ladies give the poor old Gypsy woman half a dollar for the basket?
The little girls lost hope. They were not allowed to break into their banks for any purpose without asking Ruths permission, and their monthly stipend of pocket money was very low.
It is a very nice basket, little ladies, said the younger Gypsy woman she who was so gayly dressed and gaudily bejeweled.
I know, Tess admitted wistfully. But if we havent so much money, how can we buy it?
Say! interrupted the amateur joey, hands in pockets and viewing the controversy quite as an outsider. Say, Tess! if you and Dot really want that old basket, Ive got two-bits Ill lend you.
Oh, Sammy! gasped Dot. A whole quarter?
Have you got it here with you? Tess asked.
Yep, announced the boy.
I dont think Ruth would mind our borrowing twenty-five cents of you, Sammy, said Tess, slowly.
Of course not, urged Dot. Why, Sammy is just like one of the family.
Only when you girls go off cruising, I aint, observed Sammy, his face clouding with remembrance. Then I aint even a step-child.
But he produced the quarter and offered it to Tess. She counted it with the money already in her hand.
But but that makes only forty-five cents, she said.
The two Gypsy women spoke hissingly to each other in a tongue that the children did not, of course, understand. Then the older woman thrust the basket out again.
Take! she said. Take for forty-fi cents, eh? The little ladies can have.
Go ahead, Sammy said as Tess hesitated. Thats all the old basket is worth. I can get one bigger than that at the chain store for seven cents.
Oh, Sammy, it isnt as bee-you -tiful as this! gasped Dot.
Well, its a basket just the same.
Tess put the silver and pennies in the old womans clawlike hand
and the longed-for basket came into her possession.
It is a good-fortune basket, pretty little ladies, repeated the old Gypsy, grinning at them toothlessly. You are honest little ladies, I can see. You would never cheat the old Gypsy, would you? This is all the money you have to pay for the beautiful basket? Forty-fi cents?
Aw, say! grumbled Sammy, a bargain is a bargain, aint it? And forty-five cents is a good deal of money.
If if you think we ought to pay more
Tess held the basket out hesitatingly. Dot fairly squealed:
Dont be a ninny, Tessie Kenway! Its ours now.
The basket is yours, little ladies, croaked the crone as the younger woman pulled sharply at her shawl. But good fortune goes with it only if you are honest with the poor old Gypsy. Good-bye.
The two strange women hurried away. Sammy lounged to the door, hands in pockets, to look after them. He caught a momentary glimpse of the tall Gypsy man disappearing around a corner. The two women quickly followed him.
Oh, what a lovely basket! Dot was saying.
I I hope Ruth wont scold because we borrowed that quarter of Sammy, murmured Tess.
Shucks! exclaimed their boy friend. Dont tell her. You can pay me when you get some more money.
Oh, no! Tess said. I would not hide anything from Ruth.
You couldnt, anyway, said the practical Dot. She will want to know where we got the money to pay for the basket. Oh, do open it, Tess. Isnt it lovely?
The cover worked on a very ingeniously contrived hinge. Had the children known much about such things they must have seen that the basket was worth much more than the price they had paid for it much more indeed than the price the Gypsies had first asked.