He stared at Maggie, and there ensued much incomprehensible chattering.

She felt very lonely, and was quite sure she should begin to cry before long; the gypsies didn't seem to mind her at all, and she felt quite weak among them.

But the springing tears were checked by new terror, when two men came up, whose approach had been the cause of the sudden excitement.

The elder of the two carried a bag, which he flung down, addressing the women in a loud and scolding tone, which they answered by a shower of treble sauciness; while a black cur ran barking up to Maggie, and threw her into a tremor that only found a new cause in the curses with which the younger man called the dog off, and gave him a rap with a great stick he held in his hand.
Maggie felt that it was impossible she should ever be queen of these people, or ever communicate to them amusing and useful knowledge.
Both the men now seemed to be inquiring about Maggie, for they looked at her, and the tone of the conversation became of that pacific kind which implies curiosity on one side and the power of satisfying it on the other.

At last the younger woman said in her previous deferential, coaxing tone,-- "This nice little lady's come to live with us; aren't you glad ?" "Ay, very glad," said the younger man, who was looking at Maggie's silver thimble and other small matters that had been taken from her pocket.