sed
along the line of barricades. Quarrels were broken up with a strong
hand, both parties being impartially beaten. The seditious were warned,
the orderly praised, the doubters cheered, the timorous encouraged.

That answered for a little while.

Once more the riot began.

Heady and his patrol renewed their round. But as soon as a tumult was
silenced in one quarter it arose in another. No sooner had the police
squad reduced matters to quiet and moved to another point, than the riot
broke out afresh behind them. Finally it gathered such headway that the
Lieutenant was compelled to retire. The ill feelings which the rioters
had vented upon one another were turned against him. The combatants
united to wreak a common vengeance upon Heady.

"He is a usurper!"

"He wants to be chief himself!"

"He has made way with the other officers so that he may seize the
command!"

"Down with him! Death to the tyrant!"

"Death! Death! Death!"

The whole seditious element of the garrison gathered together, and moved
in a solid mass upon Heady and his little band of aids, who had fallen
back toward the tower that united the two main quarters of the fort.

"Aha!" said he, "is it that you are after? Very good, my brave boys!
There are two who can play the game of death, as you shall learn!"

[Illustration: FIG. 56.--Lieut. Heady and the Pixie Parson Among
Admiring Pixinees.]

The Pixinees had assembled upon the rampart and were looking down grimly
upon the tumult in the parade ground or open space beneath. Heady called
to them to open the tower gates. Now, strange to say, Heady was a
universal favorite among the Pixinees. Which one of his particular
qualities won their admiration it would be hard to say, but the
cross-grained and savage old crumdudgeon had a host of enthusiastic
friends among the Pixinees of Fort Spinder. They always stood up for
him, and the cunning fellow knew well that he could count upon them now;
especially as the Pixie Parson,[AG] who had great influence among the
Pixinees, was also his warm friend.

The gates of the tower flew open immediately, and an excited crowd of
Pixinees gathered about their favorite. They leaped from the ramparts.
They climbed down the walls. They thronged the gate. Their forms fairly
swelled with indignation. They were ready at a word to fall upon the
insurgents.

The mob paused at this demonstration. They did not like the look of
things. They began to consult among themselv