g the stem with arms and legs stretched out before and behind and
held close together, thus so tightly embracing the plant that it was
difficult at first to distinguish him therefrom.

"Aha!" said Esslade, "I know that trick of yours, Master Tetragnatha. I
have seen you and your kin try to cheat us before this by snugging
yourself along stems of plants, and keeping your great green coat and
legs down tight to 'em. You fooled me that way once, but you can't do it
again. Here boys, we must get the old rascal out of that!"

So saying he sprang into the bush, laid hold of a limb, and swung
himself up to where the Pixie lay. Several of his comrades quickly
followed, but Tetragnatha had no mind to meet them in fair combat. He
jumped up, and leaped from the stem into the midst of the current. This
sudden movement surprised the Brownies. They paused, and gazed
wonderingly at their foe, whom they knew to be no water-pixie, and
therefore expected to be engulfed in the stream.

"Well," exclaimed Wetman, "that was a foolish trick. Might as well have
stayed to be killed as to jump into that current and be drowned; for
drowned you surely will be, old fellow."

But Wetman was mistaken. To the surprise of all the Brownies,
Tetragnatha instead of sinking, spread his legs upon the water, floated
for a moment or two with the current, and then in the face of the stream
began slowly to approach the shore.

"What can this mean?" asked Gear. "How does the creature manage it? What
sort of hidden machinery has that Pixie within himself to enable him to
go contrary to the current into the bushes on yonder shore?"

"Don't know, but we'll try to find out. So after him boys, after him!"
cried Twadeils.

The order was quickly obeyed, the raft was swung into the stream, and
partly urged by the current, and partly impelled by poles and oars, the
Brownies followed the fleeing Pixie and almost overtook him. They were
just a little too late, for a moment before the raft touched the shore,
Tetragnatha reached a low-hanging twig and climbed to the top of a bush.

The Brownies, however, were determined not to be foiled, so once more a
party sprang into the limbs and leaves, and followed the retreating
Pixie. Tetragnatha paused a moment, as though considering whether it
would be better to meet his enemies in open fight, or a second time try
the stream. But his foes were too many, so he leaped upon the water.
This time he varied his method, for he mad