But he had palmists as well, and nearly every one in the camp did a little bit of fortune-telling. Girls from cities and towns afar off came to have their future told, and, strangely enough, many of the forecasts came true. Over and above all its other attractions, there was a 'grand ball' every fortnight in the large marquee, and lads and lassies came very long distances in order to attend it, for even the youngest English schoolgirl must know how very fond the Scots are of music and dancing. The camp was well situated for this sort of winter entertainment, as it lay half-way between two rather important towns, the 'longshore pathway being shorter far than the journey by train, and ten times more pleasant. These neighbouring towns were on very friendly terms with each other. They challenged each other to games of cricket, 'gowf,' football, and to curling on an adjoining lake when the ice was strong. Moreover, the weekly half-holiday was not on the same day in these towns, so that visits could be more easily exchanged. Antony had not been more than a week here before he formed a resolve, a strange one perhaps for a young Englishman; but then he was no ordinary young man, hating London society as we have already seen, and with it everything Cockney. He loved Nature in all her shows and forms--quite as much so, perhaps, as the poet Burns or that divine naturalist Richard Jefferies. To Antony Blake the most modest, wee, God-painted beetle that crawled on the grass or cornstalks was not a 'creature' but 'a little person,' with its own living to make in its own way--all so different to our own ways--its own loves and fears, and troubles and trials quite as hard to bear, perhaps, as those of human beings. He was not of their world, but that did not prevent him from sympathising with them. There was one other trait in Antony's character which surely was an honourable one: he was careful not to inflict pain. So the resolve he made was to stay in his caravan all winter; not quite close to the gipsy camp though. He had his palace-on-wheels removed to a pitch about five hundred yards off, and had his own little enclosure. This would be quieter, and enable him to study more of the seaside flora and fauna. 'If you like, captain,' said Biffins Lee, 'to have a little quiet companionship at times of a winter's evening, you know, I'll tell you what I propose.' Antony would listen. 'Well,' said Biffins, 'I don't mind the "Silver Queen" lying at anchor in your enclosure. There will be nobody in it but Mary the stout lady and little Lotty. They'll do for you in the way of cooking and that sort of thing, and the child can thrill you with her violin whenever you long to be thrilled.' 'This is really kind of you, Mr Lee,' said Antony, 'and I gladly accept. And I suppose Wallace can come too?' 'Oh yes; Wallace is as much a property of Lotty's as Lotty herself and Mary are properties of mine.'