Page:Hugh Pendexter--Tiberius Smith.djvu/25

 astonishment from the foe, as they halted. Then the crackling in the bushes began to recede, and Banana Jones chuckled, 'They've vamoosed! Best pictures I ever saw.'

"You can safely gamble that the insurrectionists down on the beach looked upon us as real warriors when the sun rose and brought no invaders. Tiberius was so chesty that he wanted to pursue the enemy and incidentally annex San Salvador. But as white cliffs aren't always handy, we held him back.

"Well, three days passed and our stage costumes began to look tarnished. Then came the second attack. Our scouts said it was a different party, and when they approached the pass it was hardly dark enough to operate the machine. Tib commanded us all to follow him, and arranged us in a semicircle, position for the curtain raise in Act II.

"'Now warble!' he commanded, and we did, with a fringe of lime-light playing over our rich vestments and scared faces. What the enemy thought on seeing twenty-eight fays all covered gold and cut-glass, giving the serenade, will never be known. But it staggered 'em. Mazie Adams and the other Venuses sang and looked like angels, and the brownies didn't care to buck up against a celestial choir without any investigation.

"'If you can hold 'em a few minutes, we'll win in a canter,' cried Tib.