The greater part of Delaney Manor was shut up, and Fortune and two other old servants were left in charge; but very soon a comfortable meal was spread for the travelers, a room was provided for Uncle William, and Iris and Apollo slept once more in the dear old nursery.

How very sound Iris did sleep that night!  How happy she felt once more!

Fortune had dragged in her bed, and laid it on the floor close to the little girl’s side, and the sound of Fortune’s snores was the sweetest music Iris had listened to for a long time.

“Fortune will find the others, and I can be a real mother once more,” she whispered over and over to herself.

And so she slept sweetly and dreamed happily, and awoke in the morning with color in her cheeks and hope in her eyes.

CHAPTER XXIV.

ON THE TRAIL.

It was on the very evening that Orion and Diana had left the great circus that Uncle William and the two children arrived at Delaney Manor, for Delaney Manor was only five miles distant from the prosperous seaside town of Madersley.

Now, Uncle Ben had very little idea, when he brought the two children to the southwest of England, that he was really taking them back to their native country.  These things, however, are ordered, and the wisest man in the world cannot go against the leadings of Providence.  Uncle Ben thought to hide the children from their best friends, whereas, in reality, he was taking them home once more.

But two little circus children might wander about at their own sweet will at Madersley, and be heard nothing whatever of at Delaney Manor, and these little children might never have been found, and this story might have had a totally different ending, but for Fortune.

When Fortune, however, lay down on her mattress by Iris’ side, she thought a great deal before she went to sleep.  She thought, as she expressed it to herself, all round the subject, to the right of it, and to the left of it.  She thought of it in its breadth, and she thought of it in its height, and, having finally settled the matter to her own satisfaction, she went to sleep, and soothed little Iris with the comforting music of her snores.

On the following morning she had an interview with Mr. Dolman.

“I want to ask you a straight question, sir,” she said.  “What is it the police are doing?  It seems a mighty strange thing to me that two little children should be lost in the middle of a civilized country like England.”

“It seems a stranger thing to me,” replied Uncle William.  “I am dreadfully puzzled over the whole matter.  We have now four detectives at work, but up to the present they have not got the slightest clew to the children’s whereabouts.”

“As like as not,” said Fortune, “these two have been stolen by gypsies.”

“We thought of that at once,” said Uncle William.