In order to obtain a better view Florimel leaned further over, and so disturbed the architecture of the nest, from which the sticks began to fall, until he felt the whole foundation going. But so suddenly did this occur that he did not have a chance to grasp a saving branch, and in a trice plunged through the bottomless structure down--down--down--
He closed his dizzy frightened eyes, struck the waters of the lake, then disappeared from sight.
The curious band watching him were quick to realize his predicament. Without loss of time they ran to a shelf of rock that over-hung the lake, and one and all jumped in after him.
Ker-splash! ker-splash! resounded on all sides until the water was dotted with bobbing heads.
As Florimel came to the surface, blinded and choking, someone quickly grasped him, and, while the rest formed a living chain, he was passed on from one to another, until the last dragged him safely to shore.
Soon they were all gathered about in a ring, with Florimel in the centre, and, while the soft wind dried their dripping clothes, they looked at him, and he at them, with wonder and surprise on all their faces.
"Avast there, messmates!" said the Sailor to the rest. "What did I tell you? He can see us!"
And the cry was taken up all around the ring:
"Why shouldn't I be able to see you?" said Florimel, rather impatiently. "I have eyes."
"Yes," said one who wore a long black gown, and who had a tasseled mortarboard on his head, "but so have other people. It takes second sight to see the Brownies."
The Brownies! Florimel's heart gave a sudden bound.
"Much am I beholden to you all," he said, "for having rescued me. If you had not saved me I should have been obliged to save myself."
"Can you swim?" asked the Sailor, while all looked much chagrined.
"Like any duck!" was Florimel's response. "But are you mortal?" questioned the Uncle Sam Brownie. "No mortal eye has ever yet beheld us."
"My ex-fairy godmother at my christening bestowed on me the gift of second sight," explained Florimel, "so that I have always been able to see things no one else could."
"Ah, that accounts for it," said the Irish Brownie, while the faces of all the others showed that a great mystery had suddenly been cleared away. "You must have supernatural powers."