t it was true that they had not put a great
distance between themselves and Uncle Ben. Perhaps Uncle Ben, who had
promised that he might go away if he did his part well, might change
his mind in the morning. It was most important that he and his sister
should go farther away as quickly as possible.

Accordingly, he proceeded to wake Diana. Diana was very sound asleep
indeed. He could see her face distinctly, for the first faint return
of day was spreading a tender glow over it. She did not look pale;
there was a hot spot on either cheek--a spot of vivid rose.

"I am cold enough," thought the little fellow, "but Diana seems warm.
Wake up, Di; wake up!" he said. "We has runned away, but we has not
run far enough. Wake up, Di, and let's go on."

Diana did not stir at all at his first summons. He spoke loudly,
looking around him as he did so in some terror. A night owl,
preparing to go home, was seated on a tree near by. The owl looked at
Orion and hooted in a very melancholy manner. His voice seemed to say:

"I never saw two greater little fools than you children in all my
life."

Orion felt rather afraid of the owl. Having failed to awaken Diana by
words, he proceeded to shake her. This device succeeded. She opened
her great, big, sleepy eyes and stared around her in bewilderment.

"So you is our little mother now, Iris?" she said. "All wight; I's
coming."

She sat up on her grassy bed and rubbed her eyes, then stared at Orion
and burst out laughing.

"What are you laughing at?" said Orion. "We are in awful danger here.
Uncle Ben may catch us any minute."

"Who's Uncle Ben?" asked Diana.

"Why, Di! how very queer you are. Don't you remember Uncle Ben, the
awful man who has the circus?"

"No, I don't," said Diana. "Is it true that Rub-a-Dub's dead?"

"Oh, Di! Rub-a-Dub died weeks ago. What does it matter about a mouse?
I'm frightened about Uncle Ben. If he catches us he'll change his
mind, perhaps, and I cannot ride Greased Lightning again. Don't speak
so queer, Di. Do rouse yourself. We must get out of this as fast as we
can."

"As fast as we can," echoed Diana. "All wight, Orion; I's k'ite
sati'fied."

"Well, come, then," said Orion; "get up."

"I don't think I care to."

"But we can't run away if you are lying there."

"No more we can," said Diana. She laughed again. "Isn't it fun?" she
said. "And so Rub-a-Dub isn't dead after all?"

"Yes; of course he is."

"Orion, look!" said the child; "look