the snap and
positiveness of a practical woman. Her eyes sparkle with intelligence;
there is in them a keen, questioning look which tells that she loves not
only to know, but to know the reason why. If she were not a Brownie you
would probably say she was a pushing sort of person; that you scarcely
could decide whether she was more curious or sincere, more dreamy or
practical, more skeptical or credulous. But that she is beautiful you
would not hesitate to say. She is busy among the herbs, sorting them,
making ready material for Faith's retort.

Now that you have seen this Sanitary Corps, and learned their names, you
may drop the door of the tent and we shall go on with the story.

"Come, Grace, we have done quite enough for the present," said Agatha.
"Bring the bandages and let us go to the Hospital. Have you lint and
balm in your satchel? Very well. That is all we need now. Faith, hadn't
you better leave off distilling, and help us for a while with the
dressing?"

"Yes; if you wish it," answered Faith, "and we can stop now as well as
not."

The pots and herbs were set aside, and Faith and Sophia followed Agatha
and Grace through the rear door of the marquee. They crossed into the
Hospital under a covered way that united the two tents. The Hospital was
a spacious tent, or rather several large tents or marquees, joined in
one. Along each side on the rude cots hastily made from dried grass and
leaves, lay a number of wounded Brownies. The sufferers turned their
eyes upon the Nurses as they entered, and at once their faces lit up
with pleasure. Agatha and her friends went from couch to couch carrying
the blessings of their healing art. Some of the men had hurts that had
not yet been dressed. These were first carefully washed. The lint, which
the Nurses carried in their satchels, was laid upon the wound to absorb
the poison, and the balm applied.

[Illustration: FIG. 39.--The Jaws and Fangs.]

A Pixie uses his fangs, when fighting at close quarters, with terrible
effect. His mouth is a tremendous piece of machinery. The jaws are each
armed with a sharp, movable fang, pierced near its end. When the Pixie
bites, a poisonous fluid flows through this hole into the wound.[Y] In
battle with Brownies the Pixies try to come to close quarters. Being
much larger and more powerful, they seize them in their hairy arms,
strike their fangs into them, and spring back quickly out of reach of
the Brownie's sharp sword or axe. All t