SCENE II.—_Pretended gypsies seated in a tent, or on the

ground._ OLD WOMAN _counting over silver_, OLD MAN _looking on. He is dressed in old, ill-fitting clothes._ WOMAN _has a black handkerchief wound about her head, shabby dress, blue stockings, and something bright around her neck_.

MAN. Wal, old Beauty Spot, how many d’ye count?

WOMAN. Eight spoons, six forks, five thimbles, one cup.

MAN. Is that all we’ve took on this beat?

WOMAN. Not by somethin’! Look ye here, dad! (_Holds up a ladle._)

MAN (_delighted_). Now you be the beater! (_Rubs his hands._) Let’s take a look. (_Examines it._) Real, is’t? But where’s Peg?

WOMAN. Off on her tramps about the grand house yonder. Owner’s away: nobody left but my lady and servants. Never a better time, daddy.

MAN. Nor a better day. Tompkins will set up his show tent. Everybody stirring. Pockets to pick, fortunes to tell!

WOMAN (_rubbing her hands_). Lads and lassies dancing on the green, old uns looking on, nobody taking care of the spoons’n the house.

MAN (_slapping her on the shoulder_). We’re in luck, old woman,—in luck! (_Enter_ PEG, _dressed in red bodice, black skirt, red stockings, light blue handkerchief on her head, pinned under her chin._) Here comes Peg, now. Wal, my Nimble Fingers, any game to-day?

PEG (_takes a few articles from her pocket_). Not much now, dad, but some a-coming, if you an’ her (_points to_ WOMAN) be up to it.

MAN (_earnestly_). What’s that?

PEG. Oh! a nice little job.

MAN _and_ WOMAN (_earnestly_). Speak out, gal.

PEG. Wal, you see I walked in through the park, and along by the hedge-row, and into the kitchen-garden, thinkin’ to go boldly in at the back-door, as you told me, to ask for cold bits.

BOTH (_bending eagerly forward_). Yes.

PEG. But jest when I got my mouth open to say, “Charity for my poor sick mother”—

BOTH. Wal?

PEG. Why, a servant ordered me off.

MAN. An’ what then?

PEG. Why, then I turned to come away. But next I sees—

WOMAN. Sees what?

PEG. Somethin’ in our line.

BOTH (_impatiently_). Tell away, can’t yer?

PEG. Sees my lady’s child a-walkin’ out with her maid.

WOMAN. Wal, what o’ that?

PEG. You keep quiet, an’ I’ll tell; jest you keep on a-interruptin’, an’ I’m mum’s a fish.

MAN (_to_ WOMAN). Hush up, now, can’t yer? (_To_ PEG.) Sees what?

PEG. I seed as how little miss was a-dressed out in all her finery,—her velvet, an’ her silks, an’ gold beads an’ bracelets. (_Clasps throat and wrists._) Very good things to have. (_Old couple nod approvingly at each other._)

MAN. Mebby they be (_holding up old bag_); but how be they a-goin’ to jump in this ’ere?

PEG. There ye go agin a-interruptin’.

WOMAN (_to_ MAN). Hush up, dad! Let the gal speak, can’t yer?

PEG. Then I watches to find out where wud they be a-goin’ ter (_old couple nod to each other_), an’ I sees ’em take the path down by the hedge-row. So I creeps along softly, a-tiptoe, on t’other side, just like this (_shows how she crept along_), a-peepin’ through.

WOMAN (_rubbing her hands together_). Sharp gal you be, Peg.

MAN (_to_ WOMAN). Keep still; don’t bother her.

PEG. When they goes down on the grass to rest, I goes down too, on t’other side, ye know, to rest,—so. (_Sits down._)

MAN (_laughing_). Yes, yes: so ye did. Poor little gal, wasn’t used to trampin’!

WOMAN (_to_ MAN). Gabble, gabble, gabble! The gal’ll never git done.

MAN. Tell away, Peg.

PEG. I listens, an’ I finds little miss is a-goin’ with her maid to see the dances. There, I’ve started the game: let’s see ye foller it up.

(_Old couple sit in silence for a few moments, turning over the silver._)

MAN (_thoughtfully_). ’Tis deep water; but I sees through.

PEG (_bending forward_). Let’s hear. (WOMAN _listens_.)

MAN. Tomkins’s show draws all the crowd, missy among ’em.

PEG. Go on, dad.

MAN (_rising_). They two, missy and maid, stands agapin’ at it,—so. (_Imitates._) You creeps in between,—so. (_Imitates._) I stays outside.

PEG. Yes, yes!

MAN. In the middle of it I gets myself knocked down outside, and groans and roars, “Help, help! thieves! murder!”

WOMAN (_eagerly_). Then everybody’ll run.

MAN. Then everybody’ll run. Peg catches hold o’ little miss, runs her off. I say, “I’ll take care of yer.” Neat job, hey? (_Rubs hands._)

PEG (_briskly_). Then I’ll lend her some of my clothes, ’cause they’s better for her, you know, an’ help her eat what’s in the buful basket; an’ she’ll be my little sister, an’ she’ll tramp with us (_rises_) an’ our merry, merry crew. (_Sings. Old couple join in chorus, and all keep time with feet and hands._)

[Music:

Oh! we’re a merry gypsy crew, Roaming all the country thro’, Plenty to eat and little to do, Roaming thro’ the wildwood. Sing ri fa la li lu li oh! Plenty to eat and little to do, Roaming thro’ the wildwood. ]

Want and care we never know: Sun may shine, or winds may blow; All the same we come and go, Roaming through the wildwood. Sing ri fa la li lu li oh! Plenty to eat, and little to do, Roaming through the wildwood.