l winter
begins to come on. He hardly ever goes out of the cave the whole summer,
and keeps back there, as you see, in the coolest spot. No wonder that he
plays some sorry pranks when he is released in the autumn from his long
confinement."

"But he has been out in the summer, hasn't he?"

"Yes, yes," said the Elf quickly, "he did escape the guards once or
twice and--dear me! I don't like to think of it! It was too bad the way
he carried on. The face of the earth looked as if it had been boiled in
a caldron during the night. Farmers and gardeners were well nigh ruined.
They called brother the 'Black Frost,' after that trick. Though, dear
me! I don't see why, for he's white enough I'm sure. But mortals are odd
and contrary folk sometimes!"

Just then Dewpoint came out of a pavilion or chamber which was contrived
by using stalagmites as pillars and stalactites as supports. As he
stepped forth he threw back the curtain door, and exposed the interior
of a snug room, lit up with fox-fire lanterns which were fixed in
gnarled stalactite brackets. Lawe was about to take a closer view of
this pretty room and its master, when he heard the voice of Madam Breeze
calling at the mouth of the cave:

"Ho! Hello, there! Are you frozen up? Have you taken summer lodgings?
Here I've been waiting for--for--hoogh!--"

"For three minutes!" answered Lawe a little impatiently, for he was
curious and disappointed. Then he bethought him of his duties, and spoke
up cheerfully, "I am coming! You are quite right, it is no time to
loiter. Thanks for your kind prompting, friend Breeze. Farewell, good
Fairy Dew, and you, Sir Dewpoint, too." He hastened out of the cave and
followed the Elf to the chariot, which bowled rapidly away from the
ravine.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

HOW THE MISSION ENDED.

"Whither now?" asked Lawe.

"Home," said Madam Breeze. "We've nothing more to do but wait for the
morning. If all go well, and all shall go well, never fear! we will see
old Spite--faugh!--and all his Pixie crew--wheeze!--scattered to the
four winds before morning. Be up bright and early. You shall find me on
hand at daybreak, and by sunrise Brownieland may proclaim a
Jubilee--hoogh!"

When the chariot reached Lone Aspen, Lawe called his troopers, and with
many warm thanks bade the Elf good-bye, and hurried back to his former
bivouac at the tip-top of the large Rose Bush. The ponies were tethered
under the leaves out of Pixie sight, and the troope