"We're all thrilled you could come, Jenny. If your father had said 'No,' we'd have come and carried you off."

"You wouldn't, David? Not really? Gosh! I wish he had said 'No.'... Do you know I've always wanted to be carried off, but I don't s'pose it will ever happen."

David could not help laughing at her as she looked up at him so seriously. Her hair was not nearly so red and shiny as Penny's, and her eyes were darker, but he knew from their first adventure together that she was brave and true and loyal, and tremendous fun.

"Tom says Peter is riding Sally," Jenny went on. "That's just like her, isn't it? I'm longing to see her... And Tom says we're going to Craven Arms to meet those other friends of yours, too. That's fun! D'you think they'll like me, David?"

"It'll be their loss if they don't!" Tom said shortly. "I've not seen them before either, Jenny... Maybe we won't like them, and that will be just too bad for them."

David looked rather startled. Jenny would never be short of a champion when Tom was about!

"We've got a lot of adventures to tell you, Jenny," Dickie was saying, "but I expect we'll have plenty of time at that Clun place... I'm hungry now, and somebody ought to do something about it... And I tell you another thing! It's getting cold."

He was right about the change in the weather, for the wind seemed to be strengthening and to be coming from the north-east. The sun had disappeared, too, and suddenly the day did not seem as nice.

Mary shivered and picked up Macbeth.

"I'm cold. Let's make a fire right here by this signpost and get warm before we pursue our weary way... I've got an idea something is going to happen to us here."

"Maybe Mary's right," Tom said. "Do you see what I see, Jenny? Do you, David? Coming up the road towards us. Look! Is there another caravan like that round these parts, and is there another gipsy rides in the driving-seat like Reuben?"

"You're right, Tom! I'm sure you are!" David shouted.

Up the road towards them came a gaily-painted caravan. Red and yellow were the sides, and yellow and red the wheels. The roof was green and so were the shafts, and there were white lace curtains in the windows. David and the twins ran out into the road and Mackie followed, barking excitedly.

"Reuben!" David yelled. "Don't you know us? How are you all? Is Miranda there, and Fenella?"

"It's us, Mr Reuben," Mary shouted. "From Witchend. Do remember us, please, 'cos we've never forgotten you!"

The gipsy smiled with a flash of white teeth and pushed the old hat to the back of his head.

"Remember? How could we forget? Miranda! Fenella!"