Early, very, very early in the morning, led by Jakes, the gipsies' dog, she found the house on wheels. The gipsies were tired, and most of them asleep. But when Harriet approached the dogs all barked, and of course the gipsy men all started to their feet, and the toothless old crone came out of the house on wheels, and pretty Flavia followed her. "What did the little lady want?" they asked. They were all quite inclined to be civil to the little girl. "I want," said Harriet, "my own little boy. I am his school-mother, and I want him back again." "Oh Harriet! Harriet!" cried Ralph's little voice. He popped his small head outside the house on wheels. Not even Flavia could keep him from Harriet now. In one minute he was in her arms, and she was kissing him--oh, with such a world of affection. Somehow, Ralph felt a difference in her kisses, and he loved her at last, and knew that he had not loved her at all before. "Ralph, you must come home at once," said Harriet. "Now, my dear," said the tall gipsy man who had lured Ralph away on the previous night; "this little boy belongs to us, don't yer, little man?" "No, I don't," said Ralph. "This is my school-mother, and I belong to her." "You had best let him come," said Harriet, "for the police are looking for you, and you'll get into dreadful hot water if you keep the little boy." "We took charge of him," said the man, sulkily; but a frightened look crossed his face when Harriet spoke of the police. "He were a poor lonely little gent, and we took pity on him." "They were awfu' kind to me!" said Ralph. "They're very nice gipsy people; and see, they give me this." He showed his basket with great pride to Harriet. "See!" he continued, "there's things inside--a knife, and matches, and all sorts of other things." "That don't matter now," said Harriet. "You must come back; they're dreadfully frightened about you at school, and so was I. Gipsy man," said Harriet, looking up at the tall man, "will you please saddle a horse, and put Ralph on its back, and put me there too, for I am dreadfully tired, and take us to Abbeyfield, and please be quick." "When my father comes back," said Ralph, "I will talk to him about you, gipsy man, and about you, pretty gipsy lady." Here he took Flavia's hand. "And he shall give you money--much--and big money; and I will come and see you again, for I love you all." "We'd best take him back," said the man, looking at the toothless old crone, "or we'll get into trouble with the per-lice." "Yes," said Harriet, gravely, "and you had best be quick." So early in the morning the children went back to the school on the gipsy's tall horse, and the gipsy himself led them. Ralph talked all the way back, and was very gay and very happy; and when he parted from the gipsy man he insisted on kissing him, which surprised that person very much. "Good-bye, little master," he said, in rather a shamefaced way.