“Day at last!” he cried, and, almost with his words, the Demon Usher made his appearance with a hop, skip, and jump, while at his back stood a half-starved looking demon whose hair had not been cut for a long time, and who had a distinctly artistic appearance.
“Master, kind master,” the Demon Usher joyously cackled, “I bear good news. The little commission you intrusted me with I executed to the best of my ability. Oh, master, you should have seen how brave I was. I was with them single-handed, yet I was more than a match for them all. I had the whole band in terrible fear of me.”
“Stop throwing bouquets at yourself!” ordered Dragonfel. “Tell me where they are.”
“It’s all easy now,” went on the Demon Usher. “The dangerous part has been done by me. I’ve got them so cowed that now they’ll eat out of your hand. I captured them all by myself, and drove them into the south lode, where they wait to do your bidding.”
“Will you permit me a word, kind master?” then spoke up the half-starved looking demon, as he unrolled a large sheet of paper. “He doesn’t deserve a medal, or even honorable mention. I took a rough sketch of him when he had the Brownies at his mercy, and here it is.”
Dragonfel stared at the effort in astonishment.
“You have missed your calling,” he remarked. “You should be in the Academy of Design.”
Titania had listened with fast increasing alarm, and now with Dame Drusilda, Violet, and Daffodil she advanced quickly toward him. “Of whom is this creature speaking?” she asked, in evident distress. “Of the Brownies?”