n't know though that I am. I
just started off with a rush--the same as lots of others did who were
watching the circus load--when the lion got loose. I thought maybe I
could earn that twenty-five dollars. You see that's given to whoever
finds where the lion is hiding. The circus men just want to know that
and then they'll do the catching. There really isn't much danger."

"Well, I shouldn't like to try it," murmured Mrs. Brown.

"I guess I'll give up, too," said the man.

He called a "good-night!" to Mr. and Mrs. Brown and went back along the
road. There were no more people to be seen, those who had gone
lion-hunting being now out of sight.

"Well, I'm glad the children didn't wake up," said Mrs. Brown, for,
strange as it may seem, Bunny and Sue had slept all through the noise.
But then they were tired because of having gone to the circus. "Shall
you tell them about the lion being loose?"

"Oh, yes, to-morrow, of course. While I think there is little danger I
would not want them to stray too far away, for the poor old lion may be
hiding in the woods or among the rocks, and he might spring out on
whoever passed his hiding place."

"Why do you call him a 'poor old lion'? I think he must be a _very_
savage fellow."

"Oh, I think he'll turn out to be a gentle one," said her husband with a
laugh.

Then Mr. and Mrs. Brown went to bed, after Uncle Tad had heard the
story, and the rest of the night passed quietly. At the breakfast table
Bunny and Sue were told of what had happened.

Bunny wanted to go right out with Uncle Tad, who was to take his gun.

"We'll hunt him and get the twenty-five dollars," said the little
fellow.

"No. You'd better play around here for a while," ordered his father. "It
will be safer."

"I wouldn't let him out of my sight for a million dollars!" cried Mrs.
Brown.

"But we could take the two dogs, Dix and Splash, with us, and they could
bite the lion if he chased us," said Bunny.

His mother shook her head, and Bunny knew there was no use teasing any
more.

"I wouldn't go after any lion!" declared Sue. "And I want to find a good
place to hide Sallie Malinda."

"What for?" asked Bunny.

"So the lion can't find her," said the little girl. "Lions don't like
bears and this one might bite Sallie Malinda. Then maybe she couldn't
flash her eyes any more." The Teddy bear had dried out after the fall
into the lake, and was as good as ever.

So Bunny and Sue had to stay and play around