so stopped many times to pick flowers. Orion shouted as he
ran, and neither of the little pair minded, for a time at least, the
fact that the sun was pouring on their heads, and that their small
faces were getting redder and redder.

"I's stweaming down with hotness," said Diana, at last. "I must stop
a bit or I'll melt away. I don't want to melt till I has shotted my
enemies. Is you stweaming with hotness, Orion?"

"Yes," said Orion.

They stood still, took out their handkerchiefs, mopped their faces
vigorously, and then continued their walk. The time seemed to drag all
of a sudden; they were both very tired. How glad they were when they
finally reached the friendly shelter of the Super-Ashton woods. Here
it was deliciously cool, and here Diana, thoroughly exhausted, threw
herself on her face and hands, and, before Orion could say a word, had
dropped off into sound sleep. He thought she looked very comfortable,
and it occurred to him that he could not do better than follow her
example. Accordingly, he also stretched himself on the ground, and,
with his head resting on one of Diana's fat little legs, also visited
the land of dreams. For two hours the children slept. When they awoke
at last they found that the sun was no longer high in the heavens; it
was veering rapidly towards the west, and was sending slanting and
very beautiful rays of light through the wood. Diana rubbed her eyes
and looked around her.

"I's awfu' hung'y," she said. "How does you feel, Orion?"

"My tumtum's empty," answered Orion.

"We'll pick berries in the wood," said Diana; "that'll sat'sfy us.
Berries is wight for wunaway sildrens. Do you 'member what we has come
here for, Orion?"

"To amuse ourselves, I suppose," replied Orion.

Diana gave him an angry flash from her black eyes.

"What a silly little boy you is!" she said. "We has come for most
solemn, 'portant business. I is Diana--the gweat Diana what lived
years and years ago--and you is Orion. I is the gweatest huntwess in
all the world, and I's going to shoot Aunt Jane and Miss Wamsay. Now,
come 'long, Orion, and let's look for the bow and arrow."

The children searched and searched, and after a long time did actually
discover the crooked and badly made bow and the blunt arrow.

"Here they is, the darlin's!" cried Diana. "My own bow, my own
arrow--how I loves 'em! Now, Orion, I is going to shoot you--for
pwactice, you know, and then you shall shoot me for pwactice too. You
st