re in a whirl of wonder,
uncertainty, terror. They had scarcely taken in the full horror of their
condition. Captives in Pixies' hands!

Their hearts had beaten fast with fear when Raft drew near, but the kind
words and act of the bluff sailor revived their hopes a little. Perhaps
even the Pixies might take pity upon them and restore them to their
home! At all events, it lessened their suffering to be free to breathe
naturally, and it was a comfort to be able to talk together, instead of
looking into each other's faces in mute wretchedness. They were near the
bow and their captors were in the stern of the boat with Raft; they
could therefore speak freely in whispers without fear of being heard. On
the contrary, the three Pixies spoke aloud, as though not caring to
conceal their thoughts from the prisoners, or not thinking they were
overheard. Thus, much of their conversation reached the nurses' ears.

Spite and Hide sat thinking. Raft stood at the tiller and kept the boat
steady on its course. Not a sound was heard except the ripple of water
against the sides of the vessel as it moved rapidly onward through the
darkness.

"Faith, dear Faith," whispered Sophia, "I cannot make it all out. Where
are we? What is to be done with us? How came we here?"

"We are on Lake Katrine, Sophia, and we are sailing toward Ellen's Isle
in a Pixie yacht. That much I am sure of. I know nothing more. But alas!
I dread the worst. What can we expect from our terrible foes? And then
the hatred they bear father and uncle--oh, my poor, poor father!" The
thought of their friends' grief and anxiety for them awakened a fresh
train of anguish in the captives' hearts. They laid their heads down
upon the leaves and wept together.

Forsaken! Lost! The waves laughed and danced merrily by them as the bow
cut the water. The stars looked down coldly from the great solemn
heights of the sky, and twinkled and winked upon them as though careless
or ignorant, or even in mockery of their fate! Why had such a sorrow
come upon them?

"Captain Spite," said Hide, at last.

"Well, Hide, what is it?"

* * * * *

"Oh Faith, do you hear that?" whispered Sophia. "We are in the hands of
Spite the Spy and his Lieutenant! Heaven defend us now!"

Faith answered with a groan.

* * * * *

"I have thought," said Hide, "that we might sell our prisoners. If we
keep them, they will be a world of trouble