“Not yet,” said Sniffer. “But they’ll find out. They always do. I won’t tell, though, if you don’t want me to.”

Dick tossed him a biscuit. “Well, keep your mouth shut if you can,” he said. “We’re not interfering with anyone and we don’t want anyone interfering with us. See?”

Sniffer nodded. He suddenly put his hand in his pocket and pulled out the red and white hanky that George had given him. It was still clean and beautifully folded.

“Not dirty yet!” he said to George.

“Well, it ought to be,” said George. “It’s for your sniffs. No, don’t use your coat-sleeve.”

Sniffer simply could not understand why he should use a beautiful clean hanky when he had a dirty coat-sleeve. He put the hanky carefully back into his pocket.

Liz ran to him and fawned on him. Sniffer fondled the peculiar little creature, and then Timmy went over and played with them both. The four finished their tea, threw Sniffer one last biscuit, and got up to put their things away safely. Now that Sniffer was about, and the gypsy camp near, they didn’t feel it was terribly safe to leave anything unguarded or unhidden.

“Scoot off, now, Sniffer,” said Julian. “And no spying on us, mind! Timmy will know immediately you arrive anywhere near, and come hunting for you. If you want to see us, give a whistle when you get near. No creeping or slipping into the quarry. Understand?”

“Yes,” said Sniffer, standing up. He took the hanky from his pocket again, waved it at George, and disappeared with Liz at his heels.

“I’m just going to see exactly how near to the gypsy camp we are,” Julian said. He walked to the entrance of the quarry and up on to the moor. He looked in the direction that Sniffer had gone. Yes, there was the hill in the shelter of which the gypsies had their caravans. It wasn’t more than a quarter of a mile away. Blow! Still, it was far enough for the gypsies not to discover them, unless by chance.

“Or unless Sniffer gives the game away,” thought Julian. “Well, we’ll spend the night here, anyway, and we can move off somewhere else tomorrow if we feel like it.”

They felt rather energetic that evening and played a ball game in the quarry, in which Timmy joined wholeheartedly. But as he always got the ball before anyone else did they had to tie him up in order to get a game themselves. Timmy was very cross. He turned his back on them and sulked.

“He looks like you now, George,” said Dick, grinning, and got the ball bang on the side of his head from an angry George!

Nobody wanted much supper. Julian took a little aluminium jug to the spring and filled it once for everyone. It really was lovely water from that bubbling spring!

“I wonder how Henry’s getting on,” said Anne. “Spoilt to bits by her great-aunts. I expect. Didn’t she look odd in proper clothes, gloves and all!”