. That's the plan; what say you?"

"Good," cried Hide, "very good! It will be a fine stroke to slip away
and leave the enemy to watch bare walls. Ha, ha! I fancy I see their
solemn faces, on the discovery of our flight." Hide grew quite merry
over his conceit.

"Very well then, that settles it. Here goes!" So saying, Spite stepped
upon the single cable and began the passage. He moved slowly at first,
until he found that the line was strong enough to bear him; then he
increased his gait, and soon landed upon the top of pier No. 2.

Hide perceived that Spite had reached the pier, for the cable had ceased
to vibrate under his movement, and accordingly began his voyage. Midway
between piers he saw the Brownie sentinel approach. He passed underneath
the cable humming some pretty ditty as he paced his beat.

Overhead just above him hung the black form of the Pixie. Hide paused
and peered downward upon the unconscious Brownie. His eyes swelled with
hate; his breath escaped with a hissing sound, he bowed his back in
readiness to spring down upon the sentinel.

[Illustration: FIG. 45. Unseen Dangers. Pixie Hide Threatens the Brownie
Sentinel.]

"Fool!" he muttered at last, "would you risk the discovery of all for
the sake of one miserable Brownie more or less in the world? Ha! it was
a great temptation; and I was mighty near yielding to it. Might have
broken my neck, too! I don't know, though;" and he followed the
sentinel's retreating form with gloating eyes; "I believe I could have
dropped right down upon the rascal, and throttled him ere he could have
piped a note. I'm sorry now that I didn't do it! But, no matter; I'll
get him some other time."

The sentinel, meanwhile, with steady gait passed onward under the cable
and out of sight behind the bushes. He never knew how nearly he had
escaped death that night, nor even suspected that peril threatened him.
Hide hurried over the remainder of the cable, and joined his comrade on
the pier.

"Well," whispered Spite, "my heart was beating a tattoo of terror lest
you might be rash enough to pounce upon that fellow. Really, I expected
to see you take the leap. It was lucky that you controlled yourself. It
would uncover all were we to start the Brownies' suspicions in this
direction. We must keep all quiet on this side the fort. Now for the
next pier! How does it look on your side?"

"There are a half dozen perfect lines here."

"Good. There are three here in prime order. W