gone mad! Cheer on
cheer, wild, loud, uttering the very madness of joy, goes up from the
Kind's crew, till the welkin rings. See! the flag is being dipped. The
sailors are running over the rigging carrying with them lanterns which
they hang upon every available spot. The vessel is a blaze of light!
They are manning the yards! And still the cheers rise up and roll over
the lake with unabated energy. Ah! they have caught the contagion on
the shore, which the first boat has already reached. A line of lights
follows from the landing to the headquarters tent, springing up at once
behind the running boatmen, until every tent, bush and tree-top is
gleaming with lanterns and torches. The fort is all ablaze. And such
cheers! The camp is wild with joy over some great event."

"What can it be?"

"Governor Wille has come!" cried an enthusiastic Natty.

Maybe! But we shall know in a moment. Rodney and his brave tars are well
nigh beside themselves with excitement and wonder as the boat on which
every eye is now centred, dashes alongside. A brawny sailor is at the
bow, necktie thrown off, shirt wide open, hatless, and nearly breathless
with excitement. Hist! the deck is silent as death, and every ear stoops
for the message.

"The lost Nurses are found! Faith--Sophia--they're on yonder yacht!
Pipe, True, Blythe--they're all there--all safe!"

Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah!

Never were such echoes wakened from the green bosom of Hillside and the
blue face of Lake Katrine, as those which answered back the ringing
shout. The tidings flew from ship to ship; land and lake were soon
gleaming with countless lights, and the very leaves above them shook
with the sound of cheers and singing till the gathering dew dropped down
from their quivering sides.

And Rodney? We draw a veil upon his emotion as the tidings came to him.
Equally, we drop the curtain upon the scene which followed, when the
Fringe--for it was Raft's yacht, the same that bore the Nurses away into
captivity,--drew up to the side of the Emma, and Rodney sprung upon her
deck and clasped his darling Faith in his arms. Presently the yacht
landed its precious cargo at the foot of Cape Home, where all the return
party were publicly welcomed. Then the Nurses were led away to their own
tent and the embrace of their dear companions Agatha and Grace.

Faith and Sophia safe in the midst of the Brownie camp once more! Surely
the dayspring has come at last!

All this time Spite the Spy