Maggie began to think that Tom must be right about the gipsies: they must certainly be thieves, unless the man meant to return her thimble by-and-by. All thieves, except Robin¹ Hood², were wicked people.  
The women now saw she was frightened.
 
"We've got nothing nice for a lady to eat," said the old woman, in her coaxing³ tone. "And she's so hungry, sweet little lady!"
 
"Here, my dear, try if you can eat a bit o' this," said the younger woman, handing some of the stew⁴ on a brown dish with an iron spoon to Maggie, who dared not refuse it, though fear had chased away her appetite. If her father would but come by in the gig and take her up! Or even if Jack⁵ the Giantkiller, or Mr. Greatheart, or St. George who slew⁶ the dragon on the half-pennies, would happen to pass that way!
 
"What! you don't like the smell of it, my dear," said the young woman, observing that Maggie did not even take a spoonful of the stew. "Try a bit—come."
 
"No, thank you," said Maggie, trying to smile in a friendly way. "I haven't time, I think—it seems getting darker. I think I must go home now, and come again another day, and then I can bring you a basket with some jam-tarts and things."
 
Maggie rose from her seat, when the old gipsy-woman said, "Stop a bit, stop a bit, little lady; we'll take you home all safe when we've done supper. You shall ride home like a lady."
 
Maggie sat down again, with little faith in this promise, though she presently saw the tall girl putting a bridle⁷ on the donkey and throwing a couple of bags on his back.
 
"Now, then, little missis," said the younger man, rising and leading the donkey forward, "tell us where you live. What's the name o' the place?"
 
"Dorlcote Mill is my home," said Maggie eagerly. "My father is Mr. Tulliver; he lives there."
 
"What! a big mill a little way this side o' St. Ogg's?"
 
"Yes," said Maggie. "Is it far off? I think I should like to walk there, if you please."
 
"No, no, it'll be getting dark; we must make haste. And the donkey'll carry you as nice as can be—you'll see."
 
He lifted Maggie as he spoke⁸, and set her on the donkey.
 
"Here's your pretty bonnet," said the younger woman, putting it on Maggie's head. "And you'll say we've been very good to you, won't you, and what a nice little lady we said you was?"
 
"Oh yes, thank you," said Maggie; "I'm very much obliged to you. But I wish you'd go with me too."
 
"Ah, you're fondest o' me, aren't you?" said the woman. "But I can't go; you'll go too fast for me."
 
It now appeared that the man also was to be seated on the donkey, holding Maggie before him, and no nightmare had ever seemed to her more horrible. When the woman had patted her on the back,............