And so he marched gallantly away into the forest.
It was then that Everychild observed that the night was falling. "Perhaps we ought to sleep awhile," he said to his companions. "This seems a very nice place, and we may have to go a long distance to-morrow."
They all found places on the grassy bank, the giant Will o'Dreams lying down beside Everychild like a true friend.
They had no sooner taken their places than it was really night. Insects in the forest about them made a droning sound. A distant bell rang faintly. One by one the members of the band fell asleep.
All save Everychild. He alone was wakeful. And he knew that the Masked Lady had taken a step forward and was looking down at him.
He lifted himself on his elbow and looked away toward the sky where it appeared through the trees. And suddenly he exclaimed. "Oh, wonderful! I think I saw a star fall!"
The Masked Lady spoke to him soothingly: "Perhaps. They fall every little while."
Everychild had not known this. "Do they?" he asked; "I wonder why?"
The Masked Lady said, "Perhaps it is so we may know that they don't amount to very much, after all."
"Not amount to much! But they are worlds, aren't they?"