o lie down in the
garding; I want Iris; I want mother. Man, do you know that my mother
has gone away to the angels? She is playing a gold harp and singing
ever so loud; and once we had a little mouse, and it was called
Rub-a-Dub, and it's deaded. We gived it a public funeral."

"Oh, do let us have some milk, and don't mind her!" said Orion.

The man jumped down off the cart, and, turning a tap in the great big
can, poured out a glass of foaming milk. He gave it to Orion, who
drank it all off at the first draught. He then filled out a second
measure, which he gave to Diana. She took it, raised it to her lips,
took one or two sips, and then gave it to Orion.

"There's something sick inside of me," she said. "I don't know what's
the matter; I isn't well."

"She had a bad fall last night at the circus," said Orion. "She fell
from one of the rings. I s'pect something's cracked inside her head."

"I s'pect something's c'acked inside my head," echoed Diana, looking
up piteously. "I want to go to the garding; I want to lie down."

"Well, look here," said the man; "this is more than I can understand.
You had best, both of you, go back to the circus, and let the people
who has the charge of you see what's the matter."

"No!" screamed Orion; "never! never!"

He suddenly put wings to his little feet, and began to fly down the
road, away from the milkman.

Diana stood quite still.

"Aren't he silly little boy?" she said. "But he mustn't go back to
circus, milkman; it would kill him. I isn't able to wide to-day, 'cos
I's c'acked inside my head; and he mustn't wide without me, 'cos it
would kill him. Couldn't we go to your house, milkman, and rest there
for a bit?"

"Well, to be sure; I never thought of that," said the man. "So you
shall, and welcome. Jump up beside me on the cart, missy."

"I can't, 'cos my head's c'acked," said Diana.

"Then I'll lift you up. Here, you sit there and lean against the big
milk can. Now, we'll set Peggy going, and she will soon overtake
little master."

Diana laughed gleefully.

"Do you know, you's an awfu' nice man?" she said.

"I am glad you think so, missy."

The man took the reins and Peggy started forward. They soon overtook
little Orion, who was lifted also into the milk cart. Then the milkman
turned swiftly round and carried the children back to a small house on
the outskirts of the town. When he got there he called out in a lusty
voice:

"Hi, Bessie! are you within?"