revolving faces paled. Then there
sounded a loud _pop_--like the bursting of an automobile tire. Next, a
ripping--

"Look!" cried Gwendolyn.

There were great rents down the front seams of Jane's waist!

The nurse guessed what had happened, and clutched desperately at the
gaping seams with both fat hands--now in front, now at the sides,
striving to hold the rips together.

To no avail! All the laughter was gone out of her. Quickly she
collapsed, her sateen hanging in loose, ragged strips. Once more she was
just ordinary nurse-maid size.

"Oh, will she die?" asked Gwendolyn, anxiously.

The Doctor knelt to grasp Jane's wrist. "No," he answered gravely;
"she'll only have to go back to the Employment Agency."

"I won't!" cried Jane. "_I_ won't!--Miss Royle!"

"_Hiss-ss-ss!_"

"Get you-know-what out of the way! A certain person musn't talk to it!
If she does she'll find--"

"I understand!" hissed back the snake.

_You-know-what?_ Gwendolyn was troubled.

Now the Policeman and the Piper, assisted by Puffy, picked the nurse up
and packed her into the linen-hamper. Whereupon the little old gentleman
slapped down the cover and tied a large tag to it. On the tag was
written--_Employment Agency, Down-Town!_"

"I'm done with _her_" said Gwendolyn; "--if she _is_ a perfectly good
top."

"You're rid of me," answered Jane, calling through the weave of the
hamper "_Yes!_ But how about _Miss Royle?_"

"We'll send her back too," declared the Man-Who-Makes-Faces. "Here!
Where _are_ you?" He ran about, searching.

The others searched also--through the grass, behind the granite shift,
everywhere. Concern sobered each face.

For the snake-in-the-grass was gone!

CHAPTER XIV

Why had Miss Royle, sly reptile that she was, scuttled away without so
much as a good-by?

"Oh, dear!" sighed Gwendolyn; "just as soon as one trouble's finished,
another one starts!"

"We must get on her track!" declared the Policeman, patroling to and fro
anxiously.

"And let's hurry," urged the Man-Who-Makes-Faces. "It's coming night in
the City. And all these lights'll be needed soon."

Very soon, indeed. For even as he spoke it happened--with a sharp click.
Instantly the pink glow was blotted out. As suddenly thick blackness
shut down.

Except straight ahead! There Gwendolyn made out an oblong patch of sky
in which were a few dim stars.

"Never mind," went on the little old gentleman, soothingly. "Because
we're close to th