Part 12 (1/2)

Overhead just above him hung the black form of the Pixie. Hide paused and peered downward upon the unconscious Brownie. His eyes swelled with hate; his breath escaped with a hissing sound, he bowed his back in readiness to spring down upon the sentinel.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 45. Unseen Dangers. Pixie Hide Threatens the Brownie Sentinel.]

”Fool!” he muttered at last, ”would you risk the discovery of all for the sake of one miserable Brownie more or less in the world? Ha! it was a great temptation; and I was mighty near yielding to it. Might have broken my neck, too! I don't know, though;” and he followed the sentinel's retreating form with gloating eyes; ”I believe I could have dropped right down upon the rascal, and throttled him ere he could have piped a note. I'm sorry now that I didn't do it! But, no matter; I'll get him some other time.”

The sentinel, meanwhile, with steady gait pa.s.sed onward under the cable and out of sight behind the bushes. He never knew how nearly he had escaped death that night, nor even suspected that peril threatened him.

Hide hurried over the remainder of the cable, and joined his comrade on the pier.

”Well,” whispered Spite, ”my heart was beating a tattoo of terror lest you might be rash enough to pounce upon that fellow. Really, I expected to see you take the leap. It was lucky that you controlled yourself. It would uncover all were we to start the Brownies' suspicions in this direction. We must keep all quiet on this side the fort. Now for the next pier! How does it look on your side?”

”There are a half dozen perfect lines here.”

”Good. There are three here in prime order. Where is the next pier?”

”Over in that oak sapling to the right. The span is the longest in the bridge, about five thousand millimetres.”

”Jolly, jolly!” exclaimed Spite in great glee. ”We are now sure of most of the way. This long span needs little repairing. The first two we can fix up, I am quite sure. Now for the last.”

They were not long in running across the third span; but when they reached pier No. 3, they found no traces of the cables which once united it to the lakeside abutment.

”Bad!” said the Pixie chief. ”It will have to be built anew, that's all.

It's lucky, too, that the worst break is on the last span, for we can repair here with less risk than elsewhere.”

”Moreover,” said Hide, ”we have a double chance for escape, the river as well as the bridge.”

”True; and now let us finish our observation by finding out the condition of yonder abutment.” The pair descended to the ground, crossed to the willow in which the last pier had been fixed, and found it in quite as good repair as the others.

”All right!” exclaimed Hide.

Spite said ”Jolly!” one of his favorite slang expletives, which he thought particularly good since he had lately borrowed it from one of his English cousins.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 46.--Spite and Hide View the Brownie Camp.]

Highly pleased with what they had learned, the Pixies turned their faces homeward. As they crossed the s.p.a.ce between the sh.o.r.e and pier No. 4, they had full view of the Brownie encampment from a vine covered old stump. There the line of cavalry guards stretched along the plain, encircling the fort. Beyond, the camp fires of the main army glimmered amid the gra.s.s, weeds and bushes. A profound silence hung over the whole scene. Both camp and fort were locked in the deep repose of midnight.

”Captain!” said Hide. He stopped and looked steadfastly toward the camp.

”Say on, comrade.”

”I followed your venture,” continued Hide, ”will you risk mine?”

”That depends,” answered the chief. ”What is it?”

”Just to make a private visit to the headquarters yonder and pay our respects to the Brownie Captain. We are now inside the picket line. We can make a circuit around here by the lake and come up in the rear of the tents. The sentinels will not be numerous there, nor very watchful.

It's a chance if there are any at all. There is little risk in the matter, just enough to give it spice. And--who knows? there might be a chance to end the campaign by putting my dagger into Murray Bruce's heart; or, failing that, you might bag that little fairy flame of yours, and carry her off to the fort. That would be 'jolly' indeed! Come, what say you?”

Spite hesitated. The plan seemed plausible. Hide was a prudent fellow, and not apt to take unusual risks. But then, there _was_ the risk that he and his second in command might be taken, or cut off. And what would become of the Pixie cause in that case? It was not a prudent act. But then, again, it was a strong temptation. a.s.sa.s.sinate Bruce? or, seize Faith?

”Lead on,” he cried, ”I'm with you.”