eat, choked by passion.

Raft trembled with anger. He dropped the helm, laid hold upon a
marline-spike and advanced toward the chief. Then he suddenly changed
his mind, and retraced his steps.

"Very good," he answered quietly. "You shall have your own sweet way, my
dear! Ellen's Isle it is!" He pressed his tiller and shifted the sail;
the Fringe swung around, and in a few moments was quietly riding in one
of the secluded harbors with which the smuggler was familiar, at the
head of the island, and not far from the cave of Tigrina and Aranea
Hall.

"Wait here until I return," said Spite leaping ashore. "I shall be back
soon."

There was a strange look in Raft's eye, that caught the chief's
attention, for in a moment he turned back, and shaking his clenched hand
at the smuggler, said:

"If you fail me, I'll follow you to the ends of the earth and drink your
heart's blood! If you prove true you shall be Admiral of the fleet.
Beware!" He turned again and was soon out of sight.

"Admiral!" sneered Raft, when Spite had disappeared. "Admiral, indeed!
That sounds grand, verily. But I wouldn't stand the fury of his wrath
and disappointment to be the chief himself. That is, even if--" Raft
shook his head, and glanced toward the cave. "However, he would have his
own way, and he may find out for himself how much better it is than the
one Raft advised." He pushed the Fringe out of the harbor, and spreading
full sail ran rapidly toward the outlet.

Let us follow Spite. He came to the door of the cave without noting any
signs of the Brownies' recent camp in the neighborhood. He found the
door fastened on the outside. What could that mean?

"Curses on the old hag Tigrina," he cried, "she is out on some
expedition, and has left the Nurses locked within. Well, they're safe
enough under these fastenings," he muttered, as he cut away the thongs,
"and I'll have the Brownie beauties all to myself. But I'll flay the
vile hag alive for this disobedience. It's time that I were rid of her,
at any rate."

The strong fastenings which the Brownies had put upon the door were at
length removed, and Spite entered the cave. All was as still as the
grave. Not a sound from the bright and busy world without fell inside
those silent halls. He pushed on. The fox-fire lights had burned out. He
was well used to groping in the dark, but he could scarcely make out the
objects before him.

"Hello!" he called.

The echoes of his voice rolled back u