“‘No, not a word,’ was his warning command, as I sought to ply him with questions. ‘For I have not yet completed the whole of my scheme. Besides, our first thought must be of a lodging place for the night. So—your arms round my leg once again.’
“Obeying, I mounted the big fellow’s foot and we plunged back into the depths of the woods. Presently we came to a space well covered with grass and here we made ready for bed. Hollowing a hole for the bumpy part of his head, Gray Ears was soon stretched out on his side, while I, using the curve of his trunk for a pillow, snugly bunked in the lee of his ponderous front knees.
“Twice I sought to speak of the plan he had named and twice did my companion bid me be silent. And so, lying there gazing upward through the canopy of boughs to the patches of star-sprinkled sky, I pictured the future that unfolded before me.
“The night was balmy and there were sweet-smelling flowers near my head. Gray Ears’ trunk made a most comfortable cushion, and close by a cricket sang. So, in spite of my musings, I was soon ready for sleep. Indeed, I rather resented being suddenly roused and told to make ready for another march through the woods. Still, I obeyed, and in what seemed even less than a twinkling, found myself in a tent of marvelous size. In it were simply whole battalions of clowns and, most wonderful of all, a fireplace quite as big as the side of our own Hippo’s cage. Then from somewhere there dangled dozens upon dozens of mile-long vine branches, and taking hold of the ends of them the clowns began to bind some one fast to the ground. Even as I looked I saw that the ‘some one’ was Gray Ears. Yes, the strange clowns were making the big fellow a prisoner, and, prying his great toes apart, were extracting the peanuts one at a time! As fast as the nuts were removed they were taken to the front of the fireplace. In vain did their owner protest. All were to be burned on the spot.
“Finally the first of the peanuts was pushed to the edge of the fire. In a moment I recognized it as my friend’s favorite nut—the delicately colored pindar that had come from the islands. And crying, ‘No! No! Not that one!’ I bounded straight for the hearth, bent upon rolling the nut from the flames. The heat was intense. I could feel its hot breath on my brow. Then a wind seemed to fan the flames into great, leaping tongues and, looking about, I saw that all the clowns had joined round with hand-bellows, which they were pumping for all they were worth. At the same moment I reached forward to rescue the peanut. And then—I opened my eyes.
“Above me was the same canopy of boughs, but through one of the chinks where there once had shone stars a great shaft from the sun poured its warm, dazzling light full in my eyes. Next, though not so much as a leaf was astir, I felt the touch of a breeze and, turning my head, saw a vast, moving car flopping first up and then down! And under that ear was a face wearing a most mischievous smile.
“‘Why—Why—it’s morning!’ I cried, springing up. ‘But where is the tent! And the clowns!’
“‘Morning, sure enough,’ answered Gray Ears, as he ponderously rose to his feet. ‘As for tents and clowns and all that sort of thing, I’m sure I’ve seen none, though I must say you were making fuss enough just before you waked up to have been playing hide-and-go-seek with all in existence. But tell me what it all was about.’
“And so, as we busied ourselves gathering berries and green grass for breakfast, I related the whole of my dream.
“‘Now, really,’ I questioned in ending, ‘are there that many clowns with the Very Biggest Circus?’