“Don’t let them take me—­don’t!” she kept wailing.

“Never mind; don’t be scared, Wren,” Peggy comforted, “they won’t get you.”

A flash of determined fire came into Peggy’s eyes as she spoke.

“Peg!  You’re magnificent,” exclaimed Jess, as, headed by Miss Prescott, they hastened toward the car which Jake had already cranked.

The gipsies had paused for an instant.  Evidently the sight of the aeroplanes bewildered and amazed them.  Expecting to come on a camp of young folks they had suddenly encountered a group of machines which, to them, must have savored of the supernatural.  But as the auto drove off they were due for an even greater surprise.

Following a swift whisper from Roy both boys had jumped into the Red Dragon.  In an instant came the sharp barking of the engine.  The flying machine dashed forward almost simultaneously.  Straight at the angry nomads Roy headed it.  It was as if a war chariot of old was charging into a group of defiant barbarians.

For a few moments the gipsies stood their ground.  But as the machine rose from the ground, skimmed it, as it were, Roy thrust on full power.  The machine darted over the spot where the gipsies had stood but an instant before; but they had gone.  Scattering with wild cries of fear, they could be seen running for their lives toward the wood.

“I don’t think they’ll trouble us again in a hurry,” declared Roy grimly, as he brought the Red Dragon round in a circle and headed back for the rest.

From the machine came a cheer, Miss Prescott’s voice ringing out as loudly as any.

“The idea just came to me in a second,” explained Roy modestly, in answer to the ladies’ congratulations and praise, “it worked, though, didn’t it?”

“Like a charm,” they all agreed.

“Hadn’t we better be getting on?” asked Jimsy, a minute later.

“Yes; there’s no knowing if those fellows won’t try a flank attack, although I think they’ve had a big enough scare thrown into them to last them quite a while with economy,” laughed Roy.

“Who is going to take care of Wren?” asked Bess.

“She’ll ride right in the car with me,” declared Miss Prescott positively, “you don’t think I’m going to risk her in one of those things of yours, do you?”

They all laughed.  As a matter of fact, there was not one of the party that was not more at home in the air than on a road.  Then, too, Roy’s balancing device had about removed the last peril of air traveling.  It was agreed to stop at Meadville, which the map showed was about thirty miles to the southeast, and purchase a dress and other necessities for their new ward.  As to what was to be done with her after that nobody had any very definite plans.  And so the journey was resumed, with congratulations flying over the way in which they came out of what, for a time, looked like a really serious scrape.

The weather had held fair till a short time after the start was made from the scene of the encounter with the gipsies.  It was Peggy who first observed a change in the sky.