CHAPTER XXV.
RETURN OF THE HERO The lawn party was over, two score or more of famished guests had gone to their homes, the lights in the Skybrow house were out, the sputtering candles in the Japanese lanterns were dying one by one, the grounds were still and dark except for the merry moon which smiled down upon the scene of revelry and tragedy.
At the edge of the lawn where the Isle of Desserts had been, six figures sat in the darkness.

They sat in a row, their legs drawn up and held by their clasped hands.

They sat waiting and watching in the silent night.
"The river is going to eat the edge of this lawn all away if they don't face it with stone," said Roly Poly.
"Will you please stop talking about eating ?" said Brownie.
"I know, but you'd think a rich man like Mr.Skybrow would make provision for a thing like that," said a boy they called Shorty.
"Will you please stop talking about provisions ?" said Townsend.
"I know, but Nuts was saying----" "Will you please stop talking about nuts ?" said Townsend.
"Well, what shall I talk about then ?" Brownie asked.
"Talk about the rhododendron bushes," said Billy.

"Look where a big clump was pulled away.

Look at that one--all broken.