aid. She was afraid of something--she could not
tell what; nor could she give any reason for her fear but that all was
so dreadfully still.

When it had been dark about an hour, Curdie thought Lina might have
returned; and reflected that the sooner he went the less danger was
there of any assault while he was away. There was more risk of his own
presence being discovered, no doubt, but things were now drawing to a
crisis, and it must be run. So, telling the princess to lock all the
doors of the bedchamber, and let no one in, he took his mattock, and
with here a run, and there a halt under cover, gained the door at the
head of the cellar stair in safety. To his surprise he found it
locked, and the key was gone. There was no time for deliberation. He
felt where the lock was, and dealt it a tremendous blow with his
mattock. It needed but a second to dash the door open. Someone laid a
hand on his arm.

'Who is it?' said Curdie.

'I told you they wouldn't believe me, sir,' said the housemaid. 'I
have been here all day.'

He took her hand, and said, 'You are a good, brave girl. Now come with
me, lest your enemies imprison you again.'

He took her to the cellar, locked the door, lighted a bit of candle,
gave her a little wine, told her to wait there till he came, and went
out the back way.

Swiftly he swung himself up into the dungeon. Lina had done her part.
The place was swarming with creatures--animal forms wilder and more
grotesque than ever ramped in nightmare dream. Close by the hole,
waiting his coming, her green eyes piercing the gulf below, Lina had
but just laid herself down when he appeared. All about the vault and
up the slope of the rubbish heap lay and stood and squatted the
forty-nine whose friendship Lina had conquered in the wood. They all
came crowding about Curdie.

He must get them into the cellar as quickly as ever he could. But when
he looked at the size of some of them, he feared it would be a long
business to enlarge the hole sufficiently to let them through. At it
he rushed, hitting vigorously at the edge with his mattock. At the
very first blow came a splash from the water beneath, but ere he could
heave a third, a creature like a tapir, only that the grasping point of
its proboscis was hard as the steel of Curdie's hammer, pushed him
gently aside, making room for another creature, with a head like a
great club, which it began banging upon the floor with terrible force
and n