Part 34 (1/2)
”I see some tents and wagons over in a field near some woods!”
He pointed, and Mr. Brown said:
”I guess that's the gypsy camp all right! Yes, that's what it is!”
”Then please let me walk,” said Bunny quickly. ”I'm not tired now.”
He did not want the gypsies to see him in his father's arms.
Mr. Brown, Bunker and Bunny turned into a field, and walked toward the tents. They could be seen more plainly now, with some wagons drawn up among them. As the three walked along they saw a tall man come from one of the tents toward them.
”That's the gypsy!” exclaimed Bunny in a whisper. ”That's the man that wanted to buy our pony!”
It was, indeed, Jaki Kezar, and he smiled his pleasant smile.
”Ah, ha!” he said, as he caught sight of Bunny. ”It is the little boy who owns the trick pony! Have you come to sell him to me?” he asked.
Bunny Brown did not know what to say. Was Toby in the gypsy camp?
CHAPTER XXII
”THERE'S TOBY!”
Standing in the storm, at the edge of the gypsy camp, Bunny Brown, his father and Bunker Blue looked at the dark man with the gold rings in his ears. This man--a gypsy with white teeth--did not seem to mind the rain, though he had on no yellow coat, ”sou'wester,” cap or rubber boots. But then, perhaps, he had just come out of the tent.
”Did you come to tell me you would sell me the little trick pony?” he asked again. ”If you did I am glad, for I would like to have him. But I am sorry you came in such a storm.”
Bunny did not know what answer to make, and so turned to his father. Mr.
Brown did not smile as did the gypsy man. Maybe Bunny's father felt a bit angry.
”Is your name Kezar?” asked Mr. Brown of the gypsy man.
”It is, yes, sir, Mr. Brown. My name is Jaki Kezar, and I am the chief of these gypsies. Sometimes they call me the gypsy king, but we have no kings. I am just a leader, that is all.”
”You are, then, the man I am looking for,” went on Mr. Brown. ”We have come all the way through the storm to find my little boy's pony. It's name is Toby and it has been stolen from the stable--it was taken some time in the night, and a dog, named Splash, seems to be gone also. I don't say you, or any of your gypsies, took the dog and pony, but I would like to know if you know anything about them.
”You were once at my house, asking to be allowed to buy the trick pony,”
went on Bunny's father, ”and we have come a long way to ask if you have seen it.”
Jaki Kezar seemed quite surprised. He looked first at Mr. Brown and then at Bunny and Bunker.
”Your pony stolen?” he exclaimed.
”He's gone,” Bunny answered. ”And I guess he was stolen. For he was locked in the barn, but when I went out to look at him, as I always do, he wasn't there.”
”That's too bad!” exclaimed the gypsy. ”I am sorry. And let me tell you, Mr. Brown,” he went on, ”that I did not steal Toby, and n.o.body in my camp did. I know that some gypsies are not honest, and they may take things that do not belong to them. But _we_ do not. Come, you shall look all through our camp and see for yourself that Toby is not here, nor the dog, Splash, either. We do not steal things! Come and look for yourselves. You shall see that Toby is not here!”
”Then where is he?” asked Bunny, whose heart seemed to sink away down in his rubber boots when he heard the gypsy say this.