The Meadow Brook Girls Across Country Part 31

"Maybe she heard the car," suggested Margery.

"No she didn't," declared Jane. "I drove into the camp without making a sound. I wanted to give you a surprise. I wonder how she knew I was near."

Neither Jane nor any of her companions had thought of the big headlights on the car, the glint of which had flashed on the foliage of a tree near the gipsy camp just as Jane was swinging into the byway that led down to the Meadow-Brook camp. Perhaps the old gipsy's keen eyes had caught this flash and read it aright. But this the girls were never to know. Their attention, just now, was attracted by the sound of loud talking. Voices were heard approaching the camp.

"I guess we are going to have quite a party this evening," said Harriet, stepping into the wagon. "Oh, this is simply great! What a pity we aren't all made up to look like Gipsies."

"Look, girls!" exclaimed the guardian.

They did look, with widening eyes.

"My grathiouth, if it ithn't thothe Tramp boyth," breathed Tommy.

"It certainly is the Tramp Club. There's Captain Baker and Sammy and Dill and Davy. Where could they have come from?" wondered Hazel.

"Oh, let's go out and call to them," suggested Margery enthusiastically.

"Wait," warned Harriet. "I have a plan that I think will work to perfection. If it does, we'll have some fun with the Tramp Club this evening."

"What is it, darlin'?"

Harriet whispered in Jane's ear. Crazy Jane uttered a loud laugh.

"Sh-h-h!" warned the guardian. "You will betray our hiding place to those boys."

"I must get word to Sybarina. I wish she would come over here," mused Harriet.

As though in answer to her wish, Sybarina rose and hobbled toward the wagon. She halted at the step without looking up.

"The friends of the pretty ladies are here. What do the pretty ladies wish to do?"

"Oh, Sybarina! I want to read the future for that boy yonder on the right, the one with the reddish hair. May I? Please let me."

"It shall be as the Romany girl wishes, but she must be grave, she must not make her real self known to the laughing boy."

"No, no, no! I promise not to betray my ident.i.ty. But what shall I say?

I don't know what to say," begged Harriet.

"The words will come unbidden to the lips of the Romany girl. Fear not.

Come." There was a suspicion of a twinkle in the piercing black eyes as Sybarina stretched forth her hand to Harriet Burrell. Harriet's heart thumped violently as she stepped down from the wagon. "If I get a chance to read George Baker's palm I will make him stand as near to the wagon as possible, so you girls can hear what I say to him, but don't you dare make a sound."

"Isn't she the clever darlin'?" chuckled Crazy Jane.

"Harriet is a very resourceful girl," answered Hazel admiringly.

"Yes; Harriet has added a good many honor beads to her string during this hike," replied the guardian. "I think, too, that she is going to pay those boys the debt that we owe them."

"Listen!" commanded Jane. Sybarina was speaking.

"Behold before you the Star of the East. Behold one who has come out of the East to read the future true. Cross her palm with silver and the Oracle will speak, revealing the past and foretelling the future."

The Gipsy queen had not led Harriet into the bright light. Instead the girl, in the fainter light at the outer edge of the circle, stood with downcast eyes, hands folded before her.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Cross My Hand With Silver."]

"Who shall be the first to hear the future and the past from the Star of the East?"

"Say, fellows, now is the time to find out a few things," laughed Captain George Baker. "Here's where I consult the Star of the East.

Here, young woman, read my palm. I don't know anything about this fortune-telling business, and I don't believe in it, but I'm willing to take a chance on it. How much does it cost to consult the stars?"

"For a silver quarter I will reveal the past only. Cross my hand with a silver dollar and both the past and future shall be as an open book,"

answered Harriet, speaking in a low tone, disguising her voice as much as possible.

George uttered a low whistle.

"A dollar! Whew! Isn't that pretty high?"

"The stars are higher," was the curt reply of the Star of the East.

There was an audible giggle from the interior of the nearby wagon.

Harriet heard it, but Captain Baker was too much interested in the prospect of having his fortune told to give heed to the sound.

"Isn't she the clever darlin'?" reiterated Crazy Jane, restraining herself from shouting only by a great effort of will.

"All right. Here's your money. But, mind you, I'll expect a lot of information for a dollar."

"The past and future are not measured by silver," retorted Harriet.

"That which is past the Oracle has revealed to me. That which is to be, I alone can tell. I am but the mouthpiece of the Oracle, but the Oracle cannot lie."

"I'm glad to be a.s.sured of hearing the truth, at any rate," replied George flippantly.

"Be at rest. You shall hear the truth," promised the Star of the East dryly. Then taking George's hand in hers she gravely scrutinized the lines of his palm.

"The lines of your hand tell me many things," she began.

"Then be sure that you tell me all about them. I want my money's worth,"

urged the captain.

"The past and future shall be fully revealed to you," promised the supposed Gipsy. Captain George Baker of the Tramp Club then listened to a fortune that, though it did not wholly please, amazed him beyond measure.

CHAPTER XX-GETTING EVEN WITH GEORGE

"Your hand tells me that you travel not alone," continued Harriet.

"Other youths are with you. Together you have journeyed for many days along the highway."