She yawned and Dick yawned too. Then Julian found himself yawning. “Awfully catching, this yawning business!” he said. “Well, it’s turned out to be a lovely night as regards weather — warm and dry — and there’s a nice little half-moon to look at. Good night, girls, sleep tight! And don’t scream if a spider 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 to your chin and catches flies in it!”

“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 to learn 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 quiet descended on the little camp. Much farther up the field the circus was also peaceful and quiet, though there were still lights here and there in the tents. Someone belonging to the circus band was strumming 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 owl hooted.

Anne was still awake. She lay listening to the wind, and to the owl’s “Too-whoo-too-whit”, and then she too fell asleep. Nobody heard someone stirring in the circus camp. Nobody saw a shadowy figure creep out when the moon was safely behind a cloud. It was late, very late, and the two camps were lost in dreams.

Timmy was fast asleep too — but in his sleep he heard a faint sound, and at once he was awake. He didn’t move, except for his ears, which switched themselves up to listen. He gave a little growl, but not enough to wake George. So long as the person who was moving about in the circus camp did not come near to George’s tent, or the boys’ tent, Timmy did not mean to bark. He heard a tiny grunt, and recognised it at once. Charlie the Chimp! Well, that was all right! Timmy fell asleep again.

Tinker, too, was fast asleep in his bed up at the house, Mischief at his feet. He had thought he would be too miserable to sleep, but found himself half-dreaming in no time. He didn’t hear a small noise outside, a very small noise indeed — a little scrape, as if someone’s foot had caught against a stone. Then there came other very small noises — and a whisper of a voice — and more noises again.

Nobody heard anything at all until Jenny woke up thirsty, and stretched out her hand to get a glass of water from her bed-table. She didn’t switch her light on, and was about to lie down again when her quick ears caught a little sound.