known character. His uniform was generally
yellow, and he was in the habit of ambushing in yellow flowers. The
daisy was a favorite resort wherein he would lay alone for many days,
hugging the yellow heart of the large flower, and quite concealed from a
careless observer. Sometimes he resorted to other plants, and then his
uniform took the tint of their flowers, a fact which gave him the
popular name of Turncoat Tom.[AN] As Barck had clambered upon the daisy
unthinking of danger, Turncoat Tom had struck him on the head, and the
mariner, quite off his guard, was knocked to the ground.

"You miserable, sneaking Turncoat," cried the Brownie, wrathful at his
friend's mishap. "You shall pay for this dearly!" and thereupon he
assaulted the Pixie furiously.

A duel on a daisy! It was a strange occurrence even in Brownie world.
The duel was of short duration, for a skillful stroke of Junior's sword
severed one of Turncoat Tom's claws, whereupon he sidled, crabwise, over
the edge of the daisy, after the fashion of his tribe, and leaped sheer
of the flower into the grass beneath, fortunately on the side opposite
to where Barck lay. Junior peered over the edge and saw the form of his
wounded adversary glide into the shadows and disappear.

"Well," said the Brownie, as he put up his sword, "I dare say that is
another of the abandoned sentinels, and he has been punished enough. Let
him go!"

He turned once more to survey the fort, which lay under the full light
of the moon, quite exposed in every part. It was silent as a cemetery.
Not a sentinel was seen at the gates, on the walls, on the towers, or on
the parade ground. Not a boat lay at the landing. Not a sign of life
anywhere except on the Arenicola tower, where the grim flag of the
Pixies floated from its staff, having evidently been left, like the
sentinels of the demilune, to keep up the impression that the fort was
still occupied.

[Illustration: FIG. 76.--"A Duel on a Daisy." Junior and Turncoat Tom.]

Well satisfied, Junior descended and was pleased to find that Barck had
now recovered consciousness. He had no idea what had happened to him,
only knowing that as he crawled upon the daisy a sudden stroke, like a
shock of electricity, had fallen upon his head and smitten him to the
ground. With a sailor's superstition, he was disposed to think the fall
the result of some miserable witch work. Junior having relieved his
mind on this subject, dispatched Howroad to report