Keep your wits about you and be ready when I give
the sign. Now get out of the way and take care. If Mick hadn't made
himself stupid lately he'd have seen you were thinking of something. You
mustn't say a word to the children; leave them to me," and again
squeezing the boy's arm meaningly, she climbed up into the waggon, where
the two little prisoners, tired of waiting for her, had fallen fast
asleep.
Tim, for his part, tumbled into his so-called bed that night, with a
wonderfully lightened heart, and his dreams were filled with the most
joyous hopes.
CHAPTER VIII.
NEW HOPES.
"I am a friend to them and you."
_Winter's Tale._
It was a good thing Tim had some new ground of hope, for otherwise the
next day or two would have sadly distressed him. He never once could get
near the children. And, what he found very strange, Diana herself seemed
to be doing her utmost to keep him from them. Two or three times,
especially when Mick or the Missus happened to be near, she roughly
pushed him back when he was making his way to the door of the van, where
Duke and his sister were. And at first the boy was not only surprised,
but rather offended.
"What for will you not let me play with them a bit?" he said to her,
half inclined to appeal to Mick, who did not interfere.
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