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gingerbread on three； and whose family was noted for the grandeur and sumptu…ousness of their boat。 They were princes among gyptians； and Lyra admired Ma Costa greatly； but she intended to be wary of her for some time yet； for theirs was the boat she had hijacked。
One of Lyra's brat panions picked up a stone automatically when he heard the motion； but Lyra said； 〃Put it down。 She's in a temper。 She could snap your backbone like a twig。〃
In fact； Ma Costa looked more anxious than angry。 The man she was addressing； a horse trader； was shrugging and spreading his hands。
〃Well； I dunno；〃 he was saying。 〃He was here one minute and gone the next。 I never saw where he went 。 。 。 。〃
〃He was helping you！ He was holding your bloody horses for you！〃
〃Well； he should've stayed there； shouldn't he？ Runs off in the middle of a job…〃
He got no further； because Ma Costa suddenly dealt him a mighty blow on the side of the head； and followed it up with such a volley of curses and slaps that he yelled and turned to flee。 The other horse traders nearby jeered； and a flighty colt reared up in alarm。
〃What's going on？〃 said Lyra to a gyptian child who'd been watching open…mouthed。 〃What's she angry about？〃
〃It's her kid；〃 said the child。 〃It's Billy。 She probly reckons the Gobblers got him。 They might've done； too。 I ain't seen him meself since…〃
〃The Gobblers？ Has they e to Oxford； then？〃
The gyptian boy turned away to call to his friends； who were all watching Ma Costa。
〃She don't know what's going on！ She don't know the Gobblers is here！〃
Half a dozen brats turned with expressions of derision； and Lyra threw her cigarette down； recognizing the cue for a fight。 Everyone's daemon instantly became warlike： each child was acpanied by fangs； or claws； or bristling fur； and Pantalaimon； contemptuous of the limited imaginations of these gyptian daemons； became a dragon the size of a deer hound。
But before they could all join battle； Ma Costa herself waded in； smacking two of the gyptians aside and confronting Lyra like a prizefighter。
〃You seen him？〃 she demanded of Lyra。 〃You seen Billy？〃
〃No；〃 Lyra said。 〃We just got here。 I en't seen Billy for months。〃
Ma Costa's daemon was wheeling in the bright air above her head； a hawk； fierce yellow eyes snapping this way and that； unblinking。 Lyra was frightened。 No one worried about a child gone missing for a few hours； certainly not a gyptian： in the tight…knit gyptian boat world； all children were precious and extravagantly loved； and a mother knew that if a child was out of sight； it wouldn't be far from someone else's who would protect it instinctively。
But here was Ma Costa； a queen among the gyptians； in a terror for a missing child。 What was going on？
Ma Costa looked half…blindly over the little group of children and turned away to stumble through the crowd on the wharf； bellowing for her child。 At once the children turned back to one another； their feud abandoned in the face of her grief。
〃What is them Gobblers？〃 said Simon Parslow； one of Lyra's panions。
The first gyptian boy said； 〃You know。 They been stealing kids all over the country。 They're pirates…〃
〃They en't pirates；〃 corrected another gyptian。 〃They're cannaboles。 That's why they call 'em Gobblers。〃
〃They eat kids？〃 said Lyra's other crony； Hugh Lovat； a kitchen boy from St。 Michael's。
〃No one knows；〃 said the first gyptian。 〃They take 'em away and they en't never seen again。〃
〃We all know that；〃 said Lyra。 〃We been playing kids and Gobblers for months； before you were； I bet。 But 1 bet no one's seen 'em。〃
〃They have；〃 said one boy。
〃Who； then？〃 persisted Lyra。 〃Have you seen 'em？ How d'you know it en't just one person？〃
〃Charlie seen 'em in Banbury；〃 said a gyptian girl。 〃They e and talked to this lady while another man took her little boy out the garden。〃
〃Yeah；〃 piped up Charlie； a gyptian boy。 〃I seen 'em do it！〃
〃What did they look like？〃 said Lyra。
〃Well 。 。 。 l never properly saw 'em；〃 Charlie said。 〃I saw their truck； though；〃 he added。 〃They e in a white truck。 They put the little boy in the truck and drove off quick。〃
〃But why do they call 'em Gobblers？〃 Lyra asked。
'〃Cause they eat 'em；〃 said the first gyptian boy。 〃Someone told us in Northampton。 They been up there and all。 This girl in Northampton； her brother was took； and she said the men as took him told her they was going to eat him。 Everyone knows that。 They gobble 'em up。〃
A gyptian girl standing nearby began to cry loudly。
〃That's Billy's cousin；〃 said Charlie。
Lyra said； 〃Who saw Billy last？〃
〃Me；〃 said half a dozen voices。 〃I seen him holding Johnny
Fiorelli's old horse…I seen him by the toffee…apple seller…I seen him swinging on the crane…〃
When Lyra had sorted it out； she gathered that Billy had been seen for certain not less than two hours previously。
〃So；〃 she said； 〃sometime in the last two hours there must've been Gobblers here 。 。 。 。〃
They all looked around； shivering in spite of the warm sun； the crowded wharf； the familiar smells of tar and horses and smokeleaf。 The trouble was that because no one knew what these Gobblers looked like； anyone might be a Gobbler； as Lyra pointed out to the appalled gang； who were now all under her sway； collegers and gyptians alike。
〃They're bound to look like ordinary people； else they'd be seen at once；〃 she explained。 〃If they only came at night； they could look like anything。 But if they e in the daylight； they got to look ordinary。 So any of these people might be Gobblers 。 。 。 。〃
〃They en't；〃 said a gyptian uncertainly。 〃I know 'em all。〃
〃All right； not these； but anyone else；〃 said Lyra。 〃Let's go and look for 'em！ And their white truck！〃
And that precipitated a swarm。 Other searchers soon joined the first ones； and before long； thirty or more gyptian children were racing from end to end of the wharves； running in and out of stables； scrambling over the cranes and derricks in the boatyard； leaping over the fence into the wide meadow； swinging fifteen at a time on the old swing bridge over the green water； and running full pelt through the narrow streets of Jericho； between the little brick terraced houses and into the great square…towered oratory of St。 Barnabas the Chymist。 Half of them didn't know what they were looking for； and thought it was just a lark； but those closest to Lyra felt a real fear and apprehension every time they glimpsed a solitary figure down an alley or in the dimness of the oratory： was it a Gobbler？
But of course it wasn't。 Eventually； with no success； and with the shadow of Billy's real disappearance hanging over them all； the fun faded away。 As Lyra and the two College boys left Jericho when suppertime neared； they saw the gyptians gathering on the wharf next to where the Costas' boat was moored。 Some of the women were crying loudly； and the men were standing in angry groups； with all their daemons agitated and rising in nervous flight or snarling at shadows。
〃I bet them Gobblers wouldn't dare e in here；〃 said Lyra to Simon Parslow； as the two of them stepped over