ilk-lined within.[N] The Pixies'
skull-and-bones flag floats from the top.

"Here we held a consultation and agreed to divide our party. Sergeant
Clearview with Corporal Dare and three men undertook to survey the river
front. It fell to myself to explore the interior of the fort, aided by
Corporal Swiftsure and two men, Lookclose and Treadlight. Having bidden
good-bye to our companions, I explained to my men the delicate and
dangerous work in which we were engaged. Then we divided our squad into
two parties. I took Treadlight and pushed forward, having bidden
Swiftsure and Lookclose to follow at a distance that would leave us just
in view. In case of discovery or accident to either party, the first
duty of the other was to escape and tell at headquarters the facts
already learned.

"The fort is so newly built that the surface is not yet thickly covered
with snares, traps and crosslines. This greatly favored us. We found the
chief part of the fort to be an immense Tubeweaver's tent built by
Engineer Agalena. The central tube runs downward toward the Lake, and
opens out near a tower that guards the water front. The tent is built
around tall weeds which stick out like the poles of a circus pavilion,
and from their tips strong guy lines stretch to various points on the
roof, thus bracing it up.[O]

"We skirted the vast edifice as far as the central front gate, just
opposite to which we found another of Arenicola's turrets. From this
point, sweeping around toward the Lake, and fronting the tower on the
southwest angle, is erected a strong tent of the Tegenaria type. It is
composed of a thick sheet like that of Agalena, but this is drawn up at
the margin, making a sort of breastwork. Along the pouch-like depression
within are many sentinels for whom openings are pierced in the
breastwork. The system ends in a tall round tower, in which Captain
Tegenaria has his observatory.[P]

"We wished to cross the path between the front Linyphia gate and the
opposite tower, but it was so thronged by passing Pixies that we dare
not venture. We therefore turned back, thinking we had discovered
enough, and ought not to further risk losing what we had learned."

"A wise and patriotic decision," said Captain Bruce, "but how did you
get out of the Pixie quarters?"

[Illustration: FIG. 20.--Arenicolas' Tower and Stridulans' Drum.]

"It was not so easy to get out of their den as to get into it," said
Sergeant True, "as is usual when deali