with this thing! We ask you to pity us and help us. You
know the Golden Motto, 'Quickly done is twice done.' If you want to help
us at all you must make haste."

"Hush-sh!" said Bruce, taking the Sergeant by the arm and leading him
away. "Don't you see? They are both asleep already. We can do nothing
more now, I fear. Come, we must once more fall back upon our own
resources."

True left the bed unwillingly. He muttered and sent back reproachful
looks as he moved away. He may have been too much interested to judge
calmly, but he had decided opinions about the conduct of Wille and
Dido--sleeping while Faith and Sophia were in Pixie bonds! He spoke out,
too. But his words were unheard. The trio left the chamber and hastened
back to camp.

CHAPTER XIX.

A BATTLE ON LAKE KATRINE.

Commodore Rodney and his brave tars were not long in reaching the inlet,
where the Brownie fleet lay moored. The damages received in the last sea
fight were so far repaired that the ships were ready for service. Sails
were shaken out, cordage stretched, anchors weighed, and before dawn the
whole navy was crossing the lake under full sail.

[Illustration: FIG. 77.--A Brownie David or Catapult (side view.)]

Rodney's flag-ship was called the Emma, and was built after designs of
the Brownie Naval Constructor. Its hull was cunningly framed from leaves
cut, bent and stretched into proper shape. Its sails were delicate
leaves fastened upon miniature masts, whose cordage was twisted from
fibres of plants. Its armament was thus fashioned: bits of elderberry
stalk were cut into short lengths and the pith removed, leaving
"barrels" which were thrust out of port-holes or laid along deck. A rod
or "plunger" fitted into each barrel, the outer end of which was lashed
to a string tied to the ends of a bowed strip of elastic wood, hickory
for the most part, whose ends were braced by stiff pieces to either side
of the barrel. To the end of the "plunger" several ropes were fastened.
Then tiny pebbles were dropped into the tubes against the head of the
rod through holes in the breech. To fire the gun, the Brownies drew the
plunger back as far as the elastic strip would allow; then suddenly let
go the cords, which the gun crew usually did with a great hurrah. The
bended strips sprung into position, forcing the plunger forward, thus
driving out the pebbles to a goodly distance. For these cannons or
catapults the Brownies had the odd name of "davids."