Chapter 11 IN THE DARK OF THE NIGHT
Julian and the others made no attempt to follow Tinker. 'Let him go, the little ass¹!' said Julian.
'Come into one of the tents and have a low pow-wow before we get undressed and go to sleep.'
'I'm sorry poor old Tinker isn't going to camp out with us, our first night in the field,' said Anne.
'I don't think he meant to give anything away.'
'That's no excuse, Anne,' said George. 'He can be an awful little fathead at times, and he's got to learnnot to be. Let's go to our tent. I feel quite tired. Come along, Timmy!'
She yawned and Dick yawned too. Then Julian found himself yawning. 'Awfully² catching³, thisyawning business!' he said. 'Well, it's turned out to be a lovely night as regards weather - warm anddry - and there's a nice little half-moon to look at. Good night, girls, sleep tight! And don't scream if aspider wakes you, because I warn you, I am NOT going to get up to deal with a harmless spider!'
'You wait till one runs all over your face!' said Anne, 'and starts making a web from your nose toyour chin and catches flies in it!'
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'Don't, Anne,' said George. 'I'm not a bit scared of spiders, but that's a horrible idea of yours!
Timmy, please watch out for spiders, and give me warning of them!'
Everyone laughed. 'Well, good night, girls,' said Dick. 'Pity about young Tinker. Still, he's got tolearn a few things, and keeping his mouth shut is one of them.'
They were all quite tired, and it wasn't long before everyone's torch was out, and peace and quietdescended on the little camp. Much farther up the field the circus was also peaceful and quiet, thoughthere were still lights here and there in the tents. Someone belonging to the circus band wasstrumming a banjo, but not loudly, and the sound was pleasant to hear - strum-a-strum -strum-a-strum - strummmm...
A few clouds blew up and slid across the moon. One by one the lights went out in the circus tents.
The wind blew softly through the trees, and an owl⁴ hooted⁵.
Anne was still awake. She lay listening to the wind, and to the owl's 'Too-whoo-too-whit', and thenshe too fell asleep. Nobody heard someone stirring in the circus camp. Nobody saw a shadowy figurecreep out when the moon was safely behind a cloud. It was late, very late, and the two camps werelost in dreams.

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