At half-past six the boys came and said that they couldn't find their sister anywhere. Everyone was now very upset and no-one knew what to do. Then Mr Otis suddenly remembered that, a few days before, he had allowed some gypsies to camp in the park.

So he went immediately to go and find the gypsies. Washington, his eldest son, and two of workers from the farm went with him.

The little Duke of Cheshire was also very worried and upset. He wanted to go with Mr Otis, but Mr Otis would not let him. He was afraid there might be a fight with the gypsies. But when he came to their camp, he found that the gypsies had gone.

It was easy to see that the gypsies had gone in a hurry, because the fire was still burning, and some plates were lying on the grass.

Mr Otis told Washington and the two men to look everywhere in the park. Then he ran home, and sent messages to all the police stations in the country, telling them to look out for a little girl who had been stolen by gypsies.

Then he told one of the servants to bring his horse to him. He told his his wife and the three boys that they really should eat their dinner, and then he himself rode off down the Ascot road to find Virginia.