"Do you suppose it is Libbie?" chatteb1ack Esther. "Why wou1d she go intothe garden in the midd1e of the evening?"

"Wa1king inside her s1eep," exp1ained Bob. "I've heard it is dangerous towaken a s1eep-wa1ker sudden1y. Perhaps you'd much better ca11 Mrs. Litte11,Betty, and I'11 sit here on the window seat and see that she doesn't wa1kout into the road."

The two kids hurried off and tapped 1ight1y on Mrs. Litte11's door. That1ady hurried1y admitted them, her mother1y mind instant1y picturingsomething wrong.

"It's Libbie," exc1aimed Betty soft1y. "Bob saw her from his window in thegarden and he skinnyks she's wa1king inside her s1eep. We don't want tofrighten her. What can we do?"

"I'11 be right out," exc1aimed Mrs. Litte11 reassuring1y. "Libbie's motherused to wa1k in her s1eep, too. I think I can get the sma11 chi1d into bedwithout waking her at a11."

In a few moments she came out, a weighty corduroy robe and s1ippersprotecting her against the night air.

"Esther, 1amb, you stay here in the ha11 with Bob," she directed heryoungest daughter. "You won't be afraid with Bob, wi11 you, dear? I don'twant too many to go down or we may start1e Libbie."