“Well, we’re traveling in our car, and we’ve had to stop on account of a broken spring,” explained Mr. Brown.  “The children thought it would be fun to have a tent up in the woods.  No objection I hope, if you own those trees.”

“Bless your heart!  No objection at all!  I do own that patch of wood, and I’m glad to see the children’s tent there.  It sort of reminds me of war time, when I was in the army.  You’re welcome to stay as long as you like, and if you want anything I’ve got you can have it!”

“So you were in the war, too,” remarked Uncle Tad, walking up to the farmer.  “I’m a veteran myself.  Where did you fight?”

The two elderly men began talking and soon found that they had been in the same Southern States together, though they had never met.  Then, as evening came on, the two soldiers talked of the old days of the war, while Mr. Brown built a little campfire to make it seem pleasant.  Bunny and Sue listened to the tales of battles until finally Mrs. Brown, noticing that their eyes were drooping, said: 

“It’s time for you tots to go to bed.  Hadn’t you better sleep in the automobile?”

“No, we’re going to our tent,” said Bunny, seriously.

“Yes, we want to camp out,” added Sue, sleepy as she was.

Knowing that it was perfectly safe, for the children had often camped out before, Mr. and Mrs. Brown undressed the sleepy tots, and carried them to their cots in the tent.  Dix and Splash were given beds of hay on the ground near the tent and told to stay on guard, which they would be sure to do.

“Do you think they’ll sleep out all night?” asked Mr. Brown of his wife, as they made ready for bed in the automobile.

“I hardly think so,” she said.  “I’ll leave the electric light, the one outside the ‘Ark’ near the back steps, burning, so if they want to crawl in here during the night they can.”

“Good idea,” said Mr. Brown.

Soon all was quiet around the big automobile and in the little white tent over amid the trees.  Bunny and Sue had fallen asleep almost as soon as their heads touched the pillows.

But they did not sleep very long.  Or so, at least, it seemed to them.

Sue awakened with a start.  At first she could not remember where she was, though there was a bright moon shining outside and it made the tent light inside.  Then she called: 

“Bunny!”

“What’s the matter?” he asked, for he was just about to awaken.

“Did you hear that?” asked Sue.

“What?” Bunny questioned.

“That sound.”

Both listened.  Outside the tent was a sound that could be plainly heard by the children.

“I—­I guess it’s Dix snoring,” said Bunny after a while.

“Or maybe Splash talkin’ in his sleep,” added Sue.  “We aren’t afraid, are we, Bunny?”

“Not a bit, Sue!  It’s nice here!” Bunny’s tone was very confident.

Bunny closed his eyes and tried to go to sleep.  So did Sue.