“That’s about it,” said Julian. “But I can’t for the life of me see why dollar notes have to be smuggled here. They can be brought freely enough into the country - why smuggle them?”

“Stolen ones, perhaps?” said George. “Oh well, its quite beyond me. What a thing to do! No wonder the gypsies didn’t want us around.”

“Better buck up and collect all these parcels and clear off back to the stables with them,” said Julian, picking up one near him. “The gypsies will be after them, there’s no doubt about that! We must be gone before they come.”

The four of them went about looking for the parcels. They found about sixty of them, and they made quite a heavy load.

“We’ll put them somewhere safe, I think,” said Julian. “What about stuffing them into one of the sand-caves? I don’t very well see how we can carry them like this.”

“We could put them in the rugs and tie up the ends and carry them like that,” said George. “It would be mad to leave them hidden somewhere in this quarry. It’s the first place the gypsies would search.”

“All right. We’ll follow your idea,” said Julian.

“I think we’ve about collected all the packets there are. Get the rugs.”

George’s idea proved to be a good one, Half the parcels were rolled into one rug, and tied up, and half into the other.

“Good thing the rugs are nice and big,” said Dick tying his up strongly. “Now I can just about manage mine nicely on my back. You all right, Ju?”

“Yes, come along, you girls,” said Julian. “Follow behind us. We’ll go down the railway line. Leave everything else here. We can easily get it another time. We must leave before the gypsies come.”

Timmy began to bark suddenly. “That must mean the gypsies are coming,” said Dick. “Come on, quick! Yes I can hear their voices - for goodness’ sake, HURRY!”

Chapter Sixteen

The terrible mist

Yes, the gypsies were certainly coming! Their dogs were with them, barking. The four children hurried out of the quarry with Timmy at their heels, quite silent.

“Those fellows may not know we were camping in the quarry,” panted Dick. “They may just be coming to find the parcels, and while they are hunting around, we may be able to get a good start. Buck up!”

They set off to where the lines ended, near where the old engine lay half-buried. The gypsy dogs heard them and set up a yelping and howling. The gypsies stopped to see what had excited them.

They spied shadows moving in the distance, the four children slipping away from the quarry. One of the men shouted loudly.

“Hey you - stop! Who are you? Stop, I say!”

But the five didn’t stop. They were now stumbling between the railway lines, glad of George’s torch, and Anne’s. The boys could not have held one for it was all they could do to hang on to the heavy-laden rugs.