During the morning I worked upon my kettles, and employed the remaining part of the day as I best could.

The whole of this time I only saw two individuals, rustics, who passed by my encampment without vouchsafing me a glance; they probably considered themselves my superiors, as perhaps they were.
One very brilliant morning, as I sat at work in very good spirits, for by this time I had actually mended in a very creditable way, as I imagined, two kettles and a frying pan, I heard a voice which seemed to proceed from the path leading to the rivulet; at first it sounded from a considerable distance, but drew nearer by degrees.

I soon remarked that the tones were exceedingly sharp and shrill, with yet something of childhood in them.

Once or twice I distinguished certain words in the song which the voice was singing; the words were--but no, I thought again I was probably mistaken--and then the voice ceased for a time; presently I heard it again, close to the entrance of the footpath; in another moment I heard it in the lane or glade in which stood my tent, where it abruptly stopped, but not before I had heard the very words which I at first thought I had distinguished.
I turned my head: at the entrance of the footpath, which might be about thirty yards from the place where I was sitting, I perceived the figure of a young girl; her face was turned towards me, and she appeared to be scanning me and my encampment; after a little time she looked in the other direction, only for a moment, however; probably observing nothing in that quarter, she again looked towards me and almost immediately stepped forward; and, as she advanced, sang the song which I had heard in the wood, the first words of which were those which I have already alluded to.
"The Rommany chi And the Rommany chal, Shall jaw tasaulor To drab the bawlor, And dook the gry Of the farming rye." A very pretty song, thought I, falling again hard to work upon my kettle; a very pretty song, which bodes the farmers much good.

Let them look to their cattle.
"All alone here, brother ?" said a voice close by me, in sharp but not disagreeable tones.
I made no answer, but continued my work, click, click, with the gravity which became one of my profession.