rs stretched
themselves upon the branches to sleep, or sat in the forks of the limbs
and talked over old campaigns until nightfall. Always, however,
sentinels kept watch against surprise. The day passed without alarm, and
when night came on the Brownies composed themselves to sleep. Lawe, full
of anxiety, was sleepless. He had firm faith that Madam Breeze would
bring deliverance, but as she had not told her plans, he could only
guess what they were from such hints as had been dropped while arranging
matters with her friends. Still, there was so much doubt in his mind
that he could scarcely compose himself to wait until the morrow. He
descended the bush, dodging on the way the round beautiful snares of
the Wheel Legion swung among the daisies, and the criss-cross and
knotted nets of the Lineweavers.

[Illustration: FIG. 143.--"The Round Beautiful Snares of the Wheel
Legion Swung Among the Daisies."]

On the ground beneath him a party of Pixie officers were gossiping over
current events. There was Saltus of the Vaulting Legion, a large-eyed,
intelligent fellow, dressed in a black uniform, with gold and scarlet
facings, and a bright metallic green helmet and sword sheath. He was
famous for his long leaps, being able to make at a single jump the
distance of several hundred millimeters. There also were Lieutenant
Heady, and Cito of the Wolf battalion, and Dysdera of the Tubeweavers,
who lived in a sac-like tent from which the Brownies had nicknamed him
"Pixie Silk-poke." They were all in high feather, and were making merry
yarns and jokes over the late disasters which had befallen their
enemies. Lieutenant Heady was in the midst of a boastful prediction of
the utter ruin of all Brownieland when a runner arrived with news of the
strange excitement among the Brownies, and the illumination of the camp
and ships, as related in a former chapter.

[Illustration: FIG. 144.--"The Criss-Cross and Knotted Net of the
Lineweavers."]

"What can it mean?" asked Saltus.

"No one knows," replied the runner.

"P'raps they've got up a big feed and pow-wow for some pompous general,"
growled Heady.

"Aha!" said Ensign Lawe; and having doubled the guard, he sped away
through the moonlight. When he came back with the glorious news of the
rescue of the Nurses, his squad of troopers could not restrain their
joy, and broke out with a round of cheers.

"Whew!" cried Cito, "Brownies here, as I live! After them, lads!" and he
ran up the Rose