Part 37 (1/2)

”Now,” continued Policy, ”I propose that we organize an expedition against the Stygians in this wise: let Scaly fall upon their s.h.i.+ps, sink as many as she can with the stroke of her tail, and drag the rest by their cables or push them with her head upon the sh.o.r.e. Our troops and s.h.i.+ps can attack them, at this disadvantage, with certainty of victory.

At the same time let Twist and Slymousie break in upon the Pixie camp, and bite, crush and destroy. Slymousie is a cunning and active adversary, and Twist is so much bigger than the Pixies that they cannot stand before him. Then, there is nothing like fighting these poison breeding creatures with their own weapons. Poison to kill poison, say I!” quoth Corporal Policy; ”shrewdness to overcome cunning! That is true wisdom!”

Thus, and with many other arguments, Policy and his friends pressed their alliance. MacWhirlie had little favor for the scheme, as it was contrary to Brownie nature and custom; but, in sheer desperation, he at last consented that Policy should take charge of a company of volunteers and try his plan; especially as he thought it could work no harm, and would keep some restless spirits occupied.

The volunteers were readily enlisted and pushed off hopefully to find the haunts of Dragon Twist, Slymousie the Quadruped and Sprite Scaly.

Twist was soon found sunning himself upon a limb of a sapling that grew above the big stone under which he had his nest. When the party spied him the Corporal mounted upon the rock and sounded a note or two upon his bugle. Twist slowly lifted his head above the leaves, flung a coil of his tail around a twig, looked down and at once recognized his friend. He hissed forth as pleasant a greeting as he knew how to give, listened patiently to Policy's request, looked wise, nodded his head in approval, and at once promised to do his utmost.

”I will keep faith with you, good fairy,” he said, lisping out the words between tongue and teeth. ”You may depenth upon me to crush out your old enemieth, body, bag and baggage.” Whereupon he wriggled among the leaves, and took an extra coil or two of his tail around the twig.

”Thanks!” cried Policy, ”and now, when will you begin operations, and how many of us will you want to help you?”

”Now, I will begin now!” answered Twist; ”and ath to aid, I athk for none. If a few of you would like to go with me to thee my triumph over the Pikthieth, come along! I thall make thort work of it, and you can come back and thing my praitheth.”

The Corporal detailed a squad of his men to go with Twist, and hurried away to engage the service of Scaly. The water sprite was not so easily found. Somewhere in the lake close by the rocks of the cape she had her favorite haunt. The Brownies swung upon the overhanging weeds and bushes and peered into the water, but could see nothing of her. Policy sounded his bugle in vain. At length a water beetle, of the family known as Whirligigs, thrust itself out of the lake, and began capering upon the surface.

”h.e.l.lo!” cried the Corporal.

”Her-rr-reep!” said the Whirligig, skipping nearer to the sh.o.r.e.

”Have you seen Scaly the Sprite down below?” asked Policy, ”and would you kindly tell us where she may be found?”

”Aye, that I can, Mr. Brownie. But what could you do even if I were to tell you? Would you go down to the bottom of the lake to speak to her?

Ha, ha!” The little water beetle, who had been joined now by a group of companions, cut sundry gyrations upon the lake, and circled round and round in a merry dance with his friends. Clearly he was much pleased that he was able to do something which a fairy could not do.

”Come now, Master Whirligig,” said the Corporal, ”you must oblige us in this matter. You know that Brownies are your good friends; and you know that we can't do what you can. Go and tell Scaly that we want to see her.”

”So I will!” answered the water beetle, good naturedly.

”So we will!” chirped all his companions. Turning suddenly the whole party plunged into the water, every one carrying down with him on the tip of the abdomen a bubble of air to supply him with breath while under water. They made their way straight to a stone of quartz whose crystallized sides glittered in the light that penetrated the stream.

”Sprite Scaly, Sprite Scaly!” called the beetles in chorus, while they held fast to the rock with their claws.

A form slowly lifted itself from the shadows under the edge of the rock and rose higher and higher until it was quite on a level with the top whereon Whirligig and his friends sat. It was a fish, with silver-white scales and red eyes. She floated in the water, which she lazily beat with her fins and tail, opening and shutting her gills, looking all the while very sedate indeed.

”Sprite Scal_ee_! Ah! here you are!” cried the beetles as they caught sight of the fish poised above them. ”Brownie Policy sent us down to tell you that he claims your service. He waits on the sh.o.r.e above. Good bye!” Up they went without more ado, and in a moment were again circling around upon the surface of the lake.

Scaly was not far behind them. Lazy as she looked, she could dart through the water like an arrow, and sooner than we tell it, had reached the bank and thrust her face close to the feet of the Corporal. Policy repeated his plan and got as hearty a.s.sent from Scaly as from Twist.

”What shall we do to support you?” asked Policy.

”Well, there's nothing very 'special,” said Scaly, spitting out half a dozen mouthfuls of water. ”The Natties had better follow up my attack in their own way. They'll not have much to do but gather up drowned Pixies, I reckon; or maybe capture some of their boats as the Stygies make off from their damaged s.h.i.+ps.”

The Sprite and the Corporal agreed upon the time for the attack, and thereupon Scaly turned, gave her tail a few self-satisfied flops, and dived out of sight.

The third party to the proposed alliance was Slymousie the Quadruped.

”We shall find her in the field,” said Corporal Policy, and sent off several men to hunt for her. The Brownies climbed the hill back of the Mansion and by and by found the cave, just on the edge of the orchard, where Mrs. Slymousie had her nest. It was quite hidden away beneath the overtopping meadow gra.s.s. A round bunch of chopped and twisted hay was balled up within it, which made it snug and warm. The Brownies swung themselves down by the gra.s.s blades and roots until they were well within the cave, when the Corporal called a halt and blew his bugle.

There was much shrill squeaking down at the bottom of the nest, and a sudden rustling amid the dry upholstery, as the youngsters scampered away into hiding.

Once more Corporal Policy blew his bugle, and then called loudly: ”Slymousie--h.e.l.lo! It's no one but I--the Brownie. h.e.l.lo--come out and see the Brownie!”

At last a low, timid voice squeaked forth the question, ”Who's there?”