But to-day, though it was
beautifully fine and the sun was shining most temptingly, poor Duke and
Pamela had to be content with the sight of it through the tiny little
window in the side of the van, which Diana opened, and with such air as
could get in by the same means. It was hot and stuffy inside, and their
little heads ached with being jolted along, and with having had no
exercise such as they were accustomed to. Still they did not look
altogether miserable or unhappy, as they tried to eat the dinner the
gipsy girl had brought them on a tin plate, from the quickly-lighted
fire by the hedge, where the old hag who did the cooking for the party
had been stewing away at a mess in a great pot. She ladled out the
contents all round for the others, but Diana helped herself. She picked
out the nicest bits she could see for the two little prisoners, and
stood by them for a minute or two to see if they really were going to
eat.
"I'll come back in a bit to see if it's all gone," she said, when she
had seen them at work, "and remember what I said this morning. That'll
help to make you eat hearty."
"Her's very kind," said Duke; but as he spoke he laid down the coarse
two-pronged fork Diana had given him to eat with, and seemed glad of an
excuse to rest in his labours for a while.
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