The sound of rumbling wheels, a man's voice singing and a cheerful chatter in which she seemed to recognize something of her own brought Mrs. Morton over to the gate in time to see the caravan turn the last corner of the lane.

Reuben stepped forward and removed his battered old hat. "We have a message for you, rawni - a message from over the evil mountain, and a letter, too, for Mr. David Morton. Is he here yet?"

And then Miranda took up the tale of how they had met the twins in the lane, and finished by saying:

"We have come far, and if it please you we would camp here for the night and be away early in the morning. Perhaps the rawni needs baskets... We have plenty to show."

"Camp here?" Mary called down ecstatically. "Camp at Witchend? Oh, Mummy! Do please let them stay... Oh! please do - and let them make a fire and sing round it."

Reuben smiled at Mrs. Morton.

"We will not sing, but we would like to stay. Trust us, lady, and by your door in the morning will be wood cut ready and another offering from the Romany."

Mrs. Morton looked at them both and then at Fenella up aloft, and when the child smiled shyly at her she nodded.

"Of course you can stay. I'm alone here except for a housekeeper, but you're welcome. Open the gate and come in, and may I have my letter, please?"

So as the twins came home in state Reuben passed over two envelopes, and when Mrs. Morton saw David's she laughed and said:

"I know who that's from! Dickie... you'd better run and fetch David - and Tom, too, if he's there. Tell David I've got a very important letter for him... No, Mary, you stay here with me."

Reuben looked round, selected the best place for his camp, and then released his horse and turned him off on to the hillside. Miranda busied herself inside the caravan and eventually invited Mary to inspect their home, but before she could see much there was a cheerful shout from outside and Dickie called triumphantly:

"Here they are. I met them coming down. Hurry up, David, and get your message. We know who it's from and you'd better jolly well buck up and tell us what is in it."

David took the letter from his mother, while Tom watched the gipsies with deep suspicion.

"They're up to no good, I'll be bound," he muttered. "I wonder Uncle didn't send them packing. What is it, David. What's all the fuss about?"

"It's another note from Peter. The gipsies brought it. Call the kids and we'll go over there where the others can't hear us."