“We’ll go and see them perform when they begin their show,” said Julian. “At the moment they’re not very friendly towards us. They don’t like us being in their field.”

“They keeps themselves to themselves,” said Joseph. “They had a heap of trouble at the place they were in before they came to us — someone set the police on them, and now they won’t make friends with anyone.”

“Well, we must go,” said Julian, and they said good-bye to the friendly fishermen and went. They stopped and had tea at a little tea-shop, and then made their way home. “Anyone want to take the bus?” said Julian. “We can easily get home before dark if we walk — but if the girls are tired we’ll bus from Tinkers’ Green.”

“Of course we’re not tired!” said George indignantly. “Have you ever known me say I’m tired, Julian?”

“All right, all right — it was just a bit of politeness on my part,” said Julian. “Come on — let’s get going.”

The way was longer than they had thought. It was getting dark when they got to the stile that led into the caravan field. They climbed over it and made their way slowly to their corner.

And then they suddenly stopped and stared. They looked all round and stared again.

Their two caravans were gone! They could see the places where they had stood, and where their fire had been. But no caravans stood there now!

“Well!” said Julian, astounded. “This beats everything! Are we dreaming? I can’t see a sign of our caravans anywhere!”

“Yes — but — how could they go?” said Anne, almost stammering in her surprise. “I mean — we had no horses to pull them away anywhere! They couldn’t go just by themselves.”

There was a silence. The four were completely bewildered. How could two large, solid caravans disappear into thin air?

“Look — there are wheel-marks in the grass,” said Dick suddenly. “See — our caravans went this way — come on, follow. Down the hillside, look!”

In the greatest astonishment the four children and Timmy followed the wheel-marks. Julian glanced back once, feeling that they were being watched. But not one of the fair-folk was to be seen. Perhaps they are watching silently behind their caravan curtains, Julian thought, uncomfortably.

The wheel-marks went right down the field and reached the gate. It was shut now, but it must have been opened for the two caravans, because there were marks in the grass by the gate, marks that passed through it and then were lost in the lane.

“What are we to do?” said Anne, scared. “They’re gone! We’ve nowhere to sleep. Oh, Julian — what are we going to do?”

Chapter Eight

Where are the caravans?

For once in a way Julian was quite at a loss what to do! It looked as if someone had stolen the two caravans — taken them right away somewhere!

“I suppose we’d better ring up the police,” he said. “They’ll watch out for the two caravans, and arrest the thieves. But that won’t help us much for tonight! We’ve got to find somewhere to sleep.”