here is the next pier?"

"Over in that oak sapling to the right. The span is the longest in the
bridge, about five thousand millimetres."

"Jolly, jolly!" exclaimed Spite in great glee. "We are now sure of most
of the way. This long span needs little repairing. The first two we can
fix up, I am quite sure. Now for the last."

They were not long in running across the third span; but when they
reached pier No. 3, they found no traces of the cables which once united
it to the lakeside abutment.

"Bad!" said the Pixie chief. "It will have to be built anew, that's all.
It's lucky, too, that the worst break is on the last span, for we can
repair here with less risk than elsewhere."

"Moreover," said Hide, "we have a double chance for escape, the river as
well as the bridge."

"True; and now let us finish our observation by finding out the
condition of yonder abutment." The pair descended to the ground, crossed
to the willow in which the last pier had been fixed, and found it in
quite as good repair as the others.

"All right!" exclaimed Hide.

Spite said "Jolly!" one of his favorite slang expletives, which he
thought particularly good since he had lately borrowed it from one of
his English cousins.

[Illustration: FIG. 46.--Spite and Hide View the Brownie Camp.]

Highly pleased with what they had learned, the Pixies turned their faces
homeward. As they crossed the space between the shore and pier No. 4,
they had full view of the Brownie encampment from a vine covered old
stump. There the line of cavalry guards stretched along the plain,
encircling the fort. Beyond, the camp fires of the main army glimmered
amid the grass, weeds and bushes. A profound silence hung over the whole
scene. Both camp and fort were locked in the deep repose of midnight.

"Captain!" said Hide. He stopped and looked steadfastly toward the camp.

"Say on, comrade."

"I followed your venture," continued Hide, "will you risk mine?"

"That depends," answered the chief. "What is it?"

"Just to make a private visit to the headquarters yonder and pay our
respects to the Brownie Captain. We are now inside the picket line. We
can make a circuit around here by the lake and come up in the rear of
the tents. The sentinels will not be numerous there, nor very watchful.
It's a chance if there are any at all. There is little risk in the
matter, just enough to give it spice. And--who knows? there might be a
chance to end the campaign by putting my d