nella gazed at him in surprise.

"Brother, whence comes all this knowledge to thee? I should never
have dreamed such a thing might be!"

"But I have read of such things being done ere now," answered
Cuthbert eagerly. "I have spent many an hour at Master Cole's shop
upon the bridge reading of such matters--how men mine and
counter-mine, and dig and delve, and sink wells and drain them, and
do many strange things of which we never dreamed in past days. In
times of war it is wondrous how many shifts of that or like kind
they think of and perform. I little thought how soon I myself
should want some such thing accomplished; but I read all eagerly,
and Master Anthony Cole explained much that perplexed me; and I
trow I might e'en do some such thing myself, with thee and this
patient beast to help me in my toil!"

It was with undisguised admiration that Petronella regarded her
brother, and very happy and merry was the meal taken together
beside the well under the green-wood trees. It was hard to realize
that this smiling girl, with the faint pink bloom in her cheek, and
the bright eager eyes, was the cowed and sorrowful Petronella of a
few days back. Cuthbert looked at her with glad pride as she talked
to him and petted the docile ass, who came and stood beside them
and got a full share of such things as were pleasant to his palate.
Petronella had never had the care of a live thing before, and was
delighted with the affection shown towards her at once by the
gentle creature.

Her sleep that night in the tree was sound and refreshing; and when
she joined Cuthbert, dressed in her suit of boys' garments;
laughing, blushing, and delighted with the freedom of motion that
they gave her; he found it hard to believe it was really
Petronella, and vowed it would not be hard to call her Peter, for
that there was little enough of the Petronella of old days to be
found in her.

And from that day forward a happy life began for the brother and
sister thus strangely located in the pixies' dell. Each day saw the
girl growing stronger, brighter, and happier, till she could
scarcely believe it was so short a time since she had fled from her
father's house; whilst Cuthbert, intent upon his plans and his
engineering operations, grew brown and muscular and self reliant,
watching carefully and tenderly over his sister, but spending his
time in healthful toil, and in working out self-imposed problems,
confident that these would in the end succ