ore pairs of bellows. Are you
strong enough to wield a pair, Sara?" he asked. Even in the stress of
this dire moment he spoke so kindly that she loved him more than ever;
and she told him proudly that she was sure she could. Schlorge had
already dragged down from a shelf three extra pairs of bellows--one
brand-new one and two old ones; and he was busy at his forge mending
and putting them in order. All the while, however, he was listening
anxiously to Pirlaps.

"The only part I haven't been able to work out," said Pirlaps, with a
worried look, "is this: How can we reduce the Poetry to a powdered
form fast enough to be effective?"

This was a problem indeed; and everybody thought deeply and
desperately. Avrillia, Sara could see, was already so absorbed in
making the poems that she didn't even hear; but it was an agonizing
moment for the rest of them. It did not last long, however; for the
Snimmy's wife stepped forward and said triumphantly, in her deep,
cross voice, "My coffee-mill!"

"Ah, these practical people!" cried Pirlaps, rubbing his hands
delightedly. "Now for our organization. Avrillia, have you plenty of
rose-leaves?"

"An extra supply," answered Avrillia, raptly. "Yassuh filled the
leaf-closet only yesterday. How fortunate!"

"Then the problem of transportation," said Pirlaps, greatly pleased.
"There must be no break--"

"The Gunki will bring 'em," said Schlorge, decisively. "Here, you!" he
shouted; and a swarm of Gunki came tumbling out from under the
adjacent bushes. "Bring your coal-scuttles!" he shouted; and each
Gunkus scuttled back, reappearing in a moment with the desired
receptacle.

"Good!" said Pirlaps. "Stand at attention until I give you further
orders." And each Gunkus stood perfectly still and straight, holding
his coal-scuttle by the handle between his teeth, and dropping his
eyes into it. They hit the bottom of the scuttle with a ringing,
martial sound.

"Now," said Pirlaps, "how many hands for the bellows? Avrillia will be
busy writing poems; Mrs. Snimmy will be busy grinding them. That
leaves Schlorge, Sara, Mr. Snimmy and myself. Four pairs of
bellows--how fortunate!" He then explained to the Gunki that they were
to march straight to Avrillia's balcony and form an unbroken line from
there to the Snimmy's wife's coffee-mill, on the front porch of the
prose-bush; and that they were to pass the scuttles full of loaded
rose-leaves in a steady stream, as fast as they could. The last G