easily in his sleep, but made no answer.
Blythe touched his face with a sword handle. The Governor threw up his
hand, opened his eyes, plucked at the netting of the canopy and
muttered,

"I say, wife, the mosquitoes have got under the bar. It's very
annoying!" Then he lay down again to sleep.

Once more Bruce spoke, but more loudly, "Governor Wille, Wille, Wille!"

"Oh dear!" sighed the sleeping man, "I do think the everlasting singing
of those mosquitoes is worse than their bite. Couldn't you keep them
out, wife?"

"Come, come," cried Bruce impatiently, "It is we--the Brownies. Wake up!
Wake, and listen to us, if you have any love or pity for your old
friends."

Governor Wille was now aroused and sat up in his bed and looked down
sleepily upon his fairy friends. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Well,"
he began, "this is a strange visit, truly. What is wanted now, pray?"
Bruce briefly related the late events, and besought his aid to recover
the lost Nurses.

"But I don't see what I'm to do!" exclaimed Wille. "How can I bring back
the poor lasses? I don't know where they are, I am sure. What shall I do
about it? I say, wife--wife! Dido, wake up! Here are the Brownies. Spite
has captured Faith and Sophia. Dear me! can't you wake? You're a
precious sleepy head!"

Dido awoke in half the time that Wille had taken; but then gentlemen
look at those things so differently when it concerns their wives! Wille
and Dido held a short conference, which was interrupted by many yawns
from the Governor, and finally Dido announced the conclusion.

"Governor Willie has been up all night," she said; "He returned at a
late hour from Columbus, and is worn out with business, travel and loss
of sleep. He must rest now. After breakfast we will go out to the lake
and join you in the search after Faith and Sophia."

"When do you breakfast?" asked Blythe.

"It will be quite late to-morrow--ten o'clock at least, I suppose."

"And you will not be ready to help us before eleven or twelve, then?"

"I think that is quite likely."

"Cannot you come without the Governor?" suggested Blythe.

"No, I couldn't think of that. We never undertake such things
separately. Good morning, now."

Dido pulled up her night-cap, retied the strings, and laid her pretty
head upon the pillow. Her husband was already breathing heavily, off
asleep while Dido was talking.

"But, madam," said True earnestly, "twelve o'clock may be too late. You
are trifling