down to sleep in each other's
arms! Their joy rippled over their lips in whispered congratulations and
thanks, and bubbled forth in grateful tears. Then soft deep sleep, the
sleep of the good and happy stole gently upon them.

It was long before the Brownie sailors settled to sleep. Weary as they
were, the wish to hear the story of the capture and imprisonment of the
Nurses, was stronger than the need of rest. Thus, Pipe, True, and
Blythe, to whom the particulars had been told, had to tell them over and
over again. At length all were satisfied; the sentinels were stationed,
the reliefs appointed, and sleep fell upon the little camp.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote AX: Appendix, Note A.]

[Footnote AY: Appendix, Note B.]

CHAPTER XXVI.

THE HAUNTED GROUND.

Our story must now go back to Big Cave Camp on the Orchard shore of Lake
Katrine. Lieutenant MacWhirlie had made a vigorous attack upon the Pixie
camp, using his portable davids with good success. He completely
demolished a bowl-shaped battery of Linyphia,[AZ] placed among the
morning glories, from which a gang of Pixies had kept up a continuous
and annoying volley of spears and arrows. But not being supported by the
infantry, he fell back to the outer line of intrenchments. Here he was
joined by Captain Bruce with his troops.

In the meantime, Commodore Rodney and his fleet had retired before the
Stygians, and lay under the protection of the great guns mounted at the
mouth of the inlet. The Pixie squadron took position before the inlet,
thus shutting the Natties in, and Admiral Quench immediately sent three
ships to relieve Big Cave Camp.

Thus matters stood on the eventful evening that brought such happy issue
to the Brownies on Ellen's Isle. Exciting incidents also had happened at
Camp Lawe, as the Brownie encampment before Big Cave had been called, in
honor of the Ensign's gallant exploit. Shortly after nine o'clock, the
hour for changing the sentinels, Bruce was informed by Vigilant, the
Sergeant of the guard, that one of the men was missing from his post.

"What," cried Bruce in angry tones, "I didn't think we had a traitor or
a coward in our camp. Bring the wretch here, as soon as he is found. He
must suffer the penalty." The Captain thus spoke, because it is an
almost unheard of thing that a Brownie soldier should desert his post,
and the punishment for such offence is instant death.

[Illustration: FIG. 110.--"The Bowl-Shaped Battery of Linyphia