Part 19 (1/2)

”Aha!” said Esslade, ”I know that trick of yours, Master Tetragnatha. I have seen you and your kin try to cheat us before this by snugging yourself along stems of plants, and keeping your great green coat and legs down tight to 'em. You fooled me that way once, but you can't do it again. Here boys, we must get the old rascal out of that!”

So saying he sprang into the bush, laid hold of a limb, and swung himself up to where the Pixie lay. Several of his comrades quickly followed, but Tetragnatha had no mind to meet them in fair combat. He jumped up, and leaped from the stem into the midst of the current. This sudden movement surprised the Brownies. They paused, and gazed wonderingly at their foe, whom they knew to be no water-pixie, and therefore expected to be engulfed in the stream.

”Well,” exclaimed Wetman, ”that was a foolish trick. Might as well have stayed to be killed as to jump into that current and be drowned; for drowned you surely will be, old fellow.”

But Wetman was mistaken. To the surprise of all the Brownies, Tetragnatha instead of sinking, spread his legs upon the water, floated for a moment or two with the current, and then in the face of the stream began slowly to approach the sh.o.r.e.

”What can this mean?” asked Gear. ”How does the creature manage it? What sort of hidden machinery has that Pixie within himself to enable him to go contrary to the current into the bushes on yonder sh.o.r.e?”

”Don't know, but we'll try to find out. So after him boys, after him!”

cried Twadeils.

The order was quickly obeyed, the raft was swung into the stream, and partly urged by the current, and partly impelled by poles and oars, the Brownies followed the fleeing Pixie and almost overtook him. They were just a little too late, for a moment before the raft touched the sh.o.r.e, Tetragnatha reached a low-hanging twig and climbed to the top of a bush.

The Brownies, however, were determined not to be foiled, so once more a party sprang into the limbs and leaves, and followed the retreating Pixie. Tetragnatha paused a moment, as though considering whether it would be better to meet his enemies in open fight, or a second time try the stream. But his foes were too many, so he leaped upon the water.

This time he varied his method, for he made one end of a long cord fast to a branch, meanwhile holding on to the other end, so that when he alighted on the water the cord stretched out behind him. This stayed and buoyed him up as he ran off at full pace upon the surface of the stream.[AJ] As he went, the thread stretched out, and seemingly would have made no end of lengthening had not one of the Brownies cut it.

Tetragnatha was discomfited only for a moment; then, to the surprise of his pursuers, instead of sinking beneath the flood rode upon it, and turned his course towards the sh.o.r.e. This time, however, the Pixie's way led along a belt of bright moonlight that glimmered through the branches.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 65.--Pixie Tetragnatha's Escape.--(Ill.u.s.tration by Dan. C. Beard.)]

”Aha, lads!” exclaimed Rownie, who was standing at the bow watching an opportunity to annoy his enemy, ”I see what's the mystery! The Pixie has spread a sail! Look there! you can see it if you stoop low and catch a side view of the silk as it s.h.i.+nes in the moonlight! Do you see now?

Tetragnatha has lifted his body from the surface of the water and has set his spinning machinery a-going; and now you may see the outspun threads glinting in the moonlight. A long pencil of silken lines is spread out from the spinnerets above him, while at the same time he has fastened his feet together by a little silken raft. The raft buoys him upon the water; the floating filaments act as sails; the wind is blowing right toward the bank yonder, so that in spite of the current which heads off this way, the creature is able to sail over the surface of the water. There he goes! He is bound to make land.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 66.--Tetragnatha: ”The Floating Filaments Act as Sails.”]

Rownie had seen truly. This was another of the tricks of that strange and cunning craft which was continually being unfolded before the Brownies' eyes. Tetragnatha was now safe on dry land, and scampered off among the bushes.

Once more the adventurers pushed into the current. The stream bore to the opposite side, making a long curve which brought them close up to the picket line of their own troops.

”Hus.h.!.+” cried Twadeils, ”Yonder is one of our sentinels, close up to the edge of the stream! Down flat on the raft, every one of you; quick, and lay low till we are quite past.” The Brownies tumbled at the word and spread themselves along the logs in as small s.p.a.ce as they could a.s.sume, although their position was anything but comfortable, for the water continually washed over them, or spurted up upon them through the c.h.i.n.ks of the raft.

”Ahoy, there!” cried the Brownie sentinel, ”What boat is that?”

No answer, and the raft sped silently by.

”Halt, there!” shouted the sentinel, running after the vessel. ”Halt, I say, or I will fire on you.”

He paused, raised his bow and let fly an arrow. It was well aimed and sank into a log close by the head of Highjinks. Indeed it pierced his Scotch bonnet and tore it from his head. This fidgety Brownie could no longer be restrained, and although the raft had now been carried quite out of reach, he leaped to his feet, pulled out the arrow, waved it and his bonnet above his head, and called to the sentinel, whom he knew well:

”Say, old chappie, save your shots for Pixies. Don't you see, you rascal, you've spoiled my hat, and--”

”Lie down, you ninnie,” cried Twadeils in a whisper, ”you'll give us away! We'll be stopped, taken back to camp, and put in the guard house, every one of us!”

Thereupon several Brownies quietly pulled Highjinks down upon the logs.

By this time the raft had swung round a clump of brushwood, leaving the sentinel gazing in a dazed way after the mysterious vessel. Scarcely had they rounded the point when a huge Pixie darted from the gra.s.ses near them, and, after making a few rapid strides upon the current, dived into the stream.

”h.e.l.lo! here's game,” cried Twadeils. ”Stop the raft a moment.” Ferrie swung the bow around. Saddler and Barnit seized the ropes and jumped into the nearest bushes; then holding back l.u.s.tily, the clumsy vessel was soon stopped.

”Now get her up to the place where the Pixie went down,” said Twadeils.