Timmy heard a sound and ran to the side, lost in the mist at once. He suddenly yelped loudly, then there was a heavy thud, and no more sound from Timmy!

“Timmy! What’s happened! Timmy, come here!” shouted George, at the top of her voice. But no Timmy came. The girls heard the sound of something heavy being dragged away, and George ran after the sound.

“Timmy! Oh Timmy, what’s happened!” she cried. “Where are you? Are you hurt?”

The mist swirled round, and she tried to beat against it with her fists, angry that she could not see. “Tim! Tim!”

Then a pair of hands took her arms from behind and a voice said, “Now you come with me! You were warned not to snoop about on the moor!”

George struggled violently, less concerned for herself than for Timmy.

’Where’s my dog?’ she cried. “What have you done to him?”

“I knocked him on the head,” said the voice, which sounded very like Sniffer’s father. “He’s all right, but he won’t feel himself for a bit! You can have him back if you’re sensible.”

George wasn’t sensible. She kicked and fought and wriggled and struggled. It was no use. She was held in a grip like iron. She heard Anne scream once and knew that she had been caught too.

When George was too tired to struggle any more, she was led firmly out of the quarry with Anne.

“Where’s my dog?” she sobbed. “What have you done with him?”

“He’s all right,” said the man behind her. “But if you make any more fuss I’ll give him another blow on the head. NOW will you be quiet.”

George was quiet at once. She was taken with Anne across the moor for what seemed like miles, but was really only the fairly short distance between the quarry and the gypsies’ camp.

“Are you bringing my dog?” asked George, unable to contain her fears about Timmy.

“Yes. Somebody’s got him,” said her captor. “You shall have him back safe and sound, if you do what you’re told!”

George had to be content with that. What a night! The boys gone, Timmy hurt, she and Anne captured, and this horrible, wreathing mist all the time!

The mist cleared a little as they came near to the gypsy camp. The hill behind seemed to keep it off. George and Anne saw the light of a fire, and of a few lanterns here and there. More men were gathered together, waiting. Anne thought she could see Sniffer and Liz in the background but she couldn’t be sure.

“If only I could get hold of Sniffer,” she thought. “He would soon find out if Timmy is really hurt. Oh Sniffer, do come nearer if it’s you!”

Their captors took them to the little fire, and made both girls sit down. One of the men there exclaimed in surprise.

“But these are not those two boys! This is a boy and a girl, not as tall as the others were!”