lie down on the g'een
g'ass; let's s'eep here; I's awfu' s'eepy."

"It's very near the circus," said Orion. "I'm rather frightened for
fear Uncle Ben will find us."

"No, he won't; it's all wight," said Diana.

She allowed her little brother to lead her as far as the hedge, and
then nothing would persuade her to go any further. Down on the damp
grass she flung herself, and then next moment was fast asleep.

Orion, aged six, did not think it wrong for Diana to sleep on the wet
grass. The moon shone all over her bare little legs. She folded her
arms when she lay down, and now there was not a stir, nor a movement
from her.

Far away, or at least it seemed far away to little Orion, he could see
the blinking lights of the town, and when he stood on tiptoe he could
also see the lights of the merry-go-rounds and the other
accompaniments of the great circus. He knew that he was dreadfully
near his tyrants, and he longed beyond words to awaken Diana and make
her go farther away; but she was asleep--dead tired. He never could
master her. There was nothing, therefore, but for him to lie down
also, close to her.

Accordingly, he flung himself on the grass, laid his head on her
shoulder, nestling up close to her for warmth and protection, and in a
few moments he had also forgotten his fears, and was calmly living in
the blessed land of dreams. The great Orion overhead looked down on
his tiny namesake, and the little boy dreamt that he was a giant in
very truth, and that he and Diana were fighting their way through the
world.

The children slept, and presently the creatures of the night came
out--the owls, and the bats, and the night moths--and looked with
wonder at the queer little pair lying prone amongst the green clover.
Thousands of wonderful night noises also began to awaken in all
directions--the merry chirp of the cricket, the whir of the bat on its
circling flight, the hum of the moths--but the children heard nothing,
although the creatures of the night were curious about these strange
little beings who, by good rights, ought not to be sharing their
kingdom.

At last, just when the first peep of dawn began to tinge the east,
little Orion opened his eyes and rubbed them hard. With a great rush
memory returned to him. He had run away; he had ridden Greased
Lightning and had not fallen from his back; his terrible life in the
circus was at an end. Uncle Ben was nowhere near to chide him. He and
Diana had got off; bu