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pit. She had then added to
    the powdery grey mixture a collection of boulders, which
    she fired to a moderate glow before going to sleep,
    comfortably, in her heated nest. The bonfire and its
    lingering smolder were visible for some distance, even to
    the farmhouses nearest the covert, and a few hours past her
    arrival had already produced several complaints and a great
    deal of alarm.

    "Oh, you have done enough keeping her harnessed out in the
    countryside, without a head of cattle to your name," Jane
    said, giving the drowsing Iskierka's side a pat. "They may
    bleat to me all they like, for a fire-breather, and you may
    be sure the Navy will cheer your name when they hear we
    have our own at last. Well done; well done indeed, and I am
    happy to confirm you in your rank, Captain Granby. Should
    you like to do the honors, Laurence?"

    Most of Laurence's crew had already been employed in
    Iskierka's clearing, in beating out the stray embers which
    flew out of her pit and threatened to ignite all the covert
    if left unchecked. Ash-dusty and tired as they all were,
    they had none of them gone away, lingering consciously
    without the need of any announcement, and now lined up on a
    muttered word from young Lieutenant Ferris to watch
    Laurence pin the second pair of gold bars upon Granby's
    shoulders.

    "Gentlemen," Jane said, when Laurence had done, and they
    gave a cheek-flushed Granby three huzzahs, whole-hearted if
    a little subdued, and Ferris and Riggs stepped over to
    shake him by the hand.

    "We will see about assigning you a crew, though it is early
    days yet with her," Jane said, after the ceremony had
    dispersed, and they proceeded on to make her acquainted
    with the ferals. "I have no shortage of men now, more's the
    pity. Feed her twice daily, see if we cannot make up for
    any growth she may have been shorted, and whenever she is
    awake I will start you on Longwing maneuvers. I don't know
    if she can scorch herself, as they can with their own acid,
    but we needn't find out by trial."

    Granby nodded; he seemed not the least nonplussed at
    answering to her. Neither did Tharkay, who had been
    persuaded to stay on at least a little longer, as one of
    the few of them with any influence upon the ferals at all.
    He rather looked mostly amused, in his secretive way, once
    past the inquiring glance which he had first cast at
    Laurence: as Jane had insisted upon being taken to the
    newcome dragons at once, there had been no chance for
    Laurence to give Tharkay a private caution in advance of
    their meeting. He did not reveal any surprise, however, but
    only made her a polite bow, and performed the introductions
    quite calmly.

    Arkady and his band had made very little less confusion of
    their own clearings than Iskierka, preferring to knock down
    all the trees between and cluster together in a great heap.
    The chill of the December air did not trouble them, used as
    they were to the vastly colder regions of the Pamirs, but
    they spoke disapprovingly of the dampness, and on
    understanding that here before them was the senior officer
    of the covert, at once demanded from her an accounting of
    the promised cows, one apiece daily, by which they had been
    lured into service.

    "They make the position that if they do not happen to eat
    the cows upon a given day, still they are owed the cattle,
    which they may call in at a future time," Tharkay
    explained, provoking Jane's deep laugh.

    "Tell them they shall have as much as they like to eat on
    any occasion, and if they are too suspicious for that to
    satisfy them, we shall make them a tally: they may each of
    them take one of these logs they have knocked about over to
    the feeding pens, and mark it when they take a cow," Jane
    said, more merry than offended at being met with such
    negotiations. "Pray ask will they agree to a rate of
    exchange, two hogs for a cow, or two sheep, should we bring
    in some variety?"

    The ferals put their heads together and muttered and hissed
    and