Genre Fairy Tale. Page - 13

whispered the pirate captain dubiously, aside.

"Speak on!" again commanded he of the blue eyes. "But your life blood dyes the deck if you seek to deceive Jean Lafitte, or Henry L'Olonnois!"

(So then, thought I, at last I knew their names.)

In reply I reached to my belt and drew out quickly--so quickly that they both flinched away--the long handled knife which, usually, I carried with me for cutting down alders or other growth which sometimes entangled my flies as I fished along the stream. "Listen," said I, "I swear the pirates' oath. On the point of my blade," and I touched it with my right forefinger, "I swear that I pondered on two things when you surprised me."

"Name them!" demanded Jimmy L'Olonnois fiercely.

"First, then," I answered, "I was wondering what I could use as a cork to my phial, when once I had yonder Anopheles in it----"

"Who's he?" demanded Jean Lafitte.

"Anopheles? A friend of mine," I replied; "a mosquito, in short."

"Jimmy, he's cr

ent of the princesses and queens more rigorous and strict than common. By means of this policy he was enabled to go on for some months without detection, living all the while in the greatest luxury and splendor, but at the same time in absolute seclusion, and in unceasing anxiety and fear.

One chief source of his solicitude was lest he should be detected by means of his ears! Some years before, when he was in a comparatively obscure position, he had in some way or other offended his sovereign, and was punished by having his ears cut off. It was necessary, therefore, to keep the marks of this mutilation carefully concealed by means of his hair and his head-dress, and even with these precautions he could never feel perfectly secure.

At last one of the nobles of the court, a sagacious and observing man, suspected the imposture. He had no access to Smerdis himself, but his daughter, whose name was Phædyma, was one of Smerdis's wives. The nobleman was excluded from all direct intercour

ding. Speaking into an audioscriber, a machine that transmitted his spoken words into typescript, he repeated the names of the candidates as they passed.

"Cadet Candidate Tom Corbett," announced Tom, and Herbert repeated it into the audioscriber.

"Cadet Candidate Astro!" The big Venusian stepped forward.

"What's the rest of it, Mister?" inquired Herbert.

"That's all. Just Astro."

"No other names?"

"No, sir," replied Astro. "You see--"

"You don't say 'sir' to a senior cadet, Mister. And we're not interested in why you have only one name!" Herbert snapped.

"Yes, sir--uhh--Mister." Astro flushed and joined Tom.

"Cadet Candidate Philip Morgan," announced the next boy.

Herbert repeated the name into the machine, then announced, "Cadet Candidates Tom Corbett, Astro, and Philip Morgan assigned to Section 42-D."

Turning to the three boys, he indicated the spiraling slidestairs. "Forty-second floor. You'll find Section D in the starboard wing

The Twelve Dancing Princesses -- The Princess Mayblossom -- Soria Moria Castle -- The Death of Koschei the Deathless -- The Black Thief and Knight of the Glen -- The Master Thief -- Brother and Sister -- Princess Rosette -- The Enchanted Pig -- The Norka -- The Wonderful Birch -- Jack and the Beanstalk -- The Little Good Mouse -- Graciosa and Percinet -- The Three Princesses of Whiteland -- The Voice of Death -- The Six Sillies -- Kari Woodengown -- Drakestail -- The Ratcatcher -- The True History of Little Goldenhood -- The Golden Branch -- The Three Dwarfs -- Dapplegrim -- The Enchanted Canary -- The Twelve Brothers -- Rapunzel -- The Nettle Spinner -- Farmer Weatherbeard -- Mother Holle -- Minnikin -- Bushy Bride -- Snowdrop -- The Golden Goose -- The Seven Foals -- The Marvellous Musician -- The Story of Sigurd

magining that, I'm right there with you."

He went back to the main building to get Gail and Captain Moggs. They went out to the 'copter hangar together.

"I've talked to the radar and loran operator," said Soames. "I explained that you wanted to see some crevasses from the air, and I'd be wandering around looking for them on the way to the rookery. He will check on us every fifteen minutes, anyhow."

* * * * *

The 'copter went up the long, sloping, bulldozed snow-ramp. Soames checked his radio contact. He nodded. The engines hummed and roared and bellowed, and the ship lifted deliberately and floated away over the icy waste.

The little helicopter was very much alone above a landscape which had never known a growing thing.

Soames kept in radar contact and when he was ready he told the base, "I'm going down now, hunting crevasses."

He let the 'copter descend. The waste was featureless, then and for a seemingly interminable time afterward. Then his estimated positio

d he had worked on it a design of the village in which they lived. Mary's idea now was to fill this basket with flowers, and to offer it to the young Countess as her birthday present. Her father readily fell in with the plan, and added a finishing touch to it by weaving Amelia's name in on one side of the basket and the Count's coat-of-arms on the other.

The long-expected day arrived, and early in the morning Mary gathered the freshest and most beautiful roses, the richest pinks, and other flowers of beautiful colours. She picked out some green branches full of leaves, and arranged them in the basket, so that all the colours, though perfectly distinct, were sweetly and delicately blended. A light garland composed of rosebuds and moss was passed around the basket, and Amelia's name could be distinctly read enclosed in a coronet of forget-me-nots. The basket when completed was a thing of uncommon beauty.

When Mary went to the Castle with her basket-present, the young Countess Amelia was sitting at

Y HAS A GOOD WORD FOR SOME SPARROWS The Song, White-throated and Fox Sparrows.

IV CHIPPY, SWEETVOICE AND DOTTY The Chipping, Vesper and Tree Sparrows.

V PETER LEARNS SOMETHING HE HADN'T GUESSED The Bluebird and the Robin.

VI AN OLD FRIEND IN A NEW HOME The Phoebe and the Least Flycatcher.

VII THE WATCHMAN OF THE OLD ORCHARD The Kingbird and the Great Crested Flycatcher.

VIII OLD CLOTHES AND OLD HOUSES The Wood Peewee and Some Nesting Places.

IX LONGBILL AND TEETER The Woodcock and the Spotted Sandpiper.

X REDWING AND YELLOW WING The Red-winged Blackbird and the Golden-winged Flicker.

XI DRUMMERS AND CARPENTERS The Downy, Hairy and Red-headed Woodpeckers.

XII SOME UNLIKE RELATIVES The Cowbird and the Baltimore Oriole.

XIII MORE OF THE BLACKBIRD FAMILY The Orchard Oriole and the Bobolink.

XIV BOB WHITE AND CAROL THE MEADOW LARK The So-called Quail and the Meadow Lark.

XV A SWALLOW AND ONE WHO ISN'T The Tree Swallow and the Chimn