In the excitement Miss Chuff had turned very pale.

"Virgil," she said faintly, "I believe I feel a trance coming on."

"Great grief!" cried the harassed leader. "Not now, my darling! I
think I see some troops in the distance. Quick, try to concentrate
your mind on lemonade, on buttermilk, on beef tea!"

Happily this crisis passed. Theodolinda had presence of mind
enough to pull out a little photograph of her father from some
secret hiding place, and by putting her mind on it shook off the
dominion of the other world.

Quimbleton spoke with anguished remorse.

"Mrs. Bleak is right. I've been trying to hide it from myself, but
I can do so no longer. This monkey business--what we might call
this gorilla warfare--must stop. We will only land in front of a
firing squad. I have only one idea, which I have been saving in
case all else failed."

The Bleaks were too discouraged to comment, but Theodolinda smiled
bravely.

"Virgil dear," she said, "your ideas are always so original. What
is it?"

Quimbleton stood up, unconsciously putting one foot on the
portable brass rail which rested on its six-inch legs by the