funerals.  Apollo made small holes with his spade, and each dead ’un in his small coffin was returned to mother earth.  The ground was immediately covered over, and Apollo trampled on it with his feet.  He did this on the present occasion with right good will.  “I’ll be rather glad when the funerals are over,” he said, looking at Iris as he spoke, “for I want to get on with my ship.  I have got hold of some canvas the gardener brought me from town, and I really believe I may be able to make a funnel and a place for boiling water.  You would like to see my ship when it is afloat; would you not, Iris?”

“Yes; very much indeed,” answered Iris.

“I call ships stupid,” said Diana.  “I don’t see no use in ’em.  Now, do let us hurry back.  Poor Rub-a-Dub will be so lonely.”

“It’s you who is silly now,” said Orion.  “You know Rub-a-Dub can’t feel; don’t you, Di?”

“I know nothing ’bout it,” said Diana.  “I want to hurry back to get his beautiful public funeral weady.  Now, look here, ’Rion; will you go into the house to steal the cotton wool, or shall I?”

“What is that I hear?” said a voice which seemed to come from right over the children’s heads.

They all looked up in alarm, to see Aunt Jane Dolman and their father standing close by.  Mr. Delaney wore an amused, and Aunt Jane a scared expression.

“What were you saying, little girl?” she continued, taking Diana by her arm and giving her a slight shake; “that you wished to steal something?”

“Yes; some cotton wool,” said Diana; “it’s most ’portant; it’s for a public funeral.”

Mrs. Dolman turned her round black eyes on her brother.  Horror was expressed in each movement of her face.

“My dear Jane,” he said, sotto voce, “there are several things which these children do which will astonish you very much.  Don’t you think you had better give up the scheme?”

“Not I, David,” she replied.  “The more I see of the poor neglected mites the more I long to rescue them from evident destruction.”

He shook his head and looked with some pity at Iris.

“Shall Orion go to steal the cotton wool?” repeated Diana, who looked as if it was impossible for anyone in this world to terrify her in the very least.

“If it must be stolen, and if you ask me,” said Mr. Delaney, “perhaps Orion may as well be the thief as anyone else.  In the old times of the heathen deities I believe they did now and then stoop to that small crime.”

“David, it is appalling to hear you speak,” said Mrs. Dolman.  “Orion, I hate to pronounce your name, but listen to me, little boy.  I forbid you to go if you are bent on theft.”

“But I must go,” said Orion.  “Poor Rub-a-Dub must be buried, and I must have a box for his coffin and cotton wool to lay him in.”

“See here, Orion,” said the father; “where do you get the cotton wool?”

“We gen’ly get it from Fortune’s box in the night-nursery,” replied Orion.