“Then let us fall to without delay,” said Harry, opening the table-cloth and seating himself on the floor beside it.
“Did you see the toad?” asked Kitey anxiously.
“Yes. Don’t worry about him, for he’s too starved to hop far. I have found out the state of affairs. The Gnomes have possession of our dominions, and our people, all except Cattisack, Grumpy, and Smithkin, and a few of their adherents, are banished to the Gnomes’ old quarters.”
Then he told Kitey all that had happened during his absence. They both nearly choked with suppressed laughter during the recital, but at its conclusion Kitey grew very sober, and said, “I wish we could help Wamby and the others to escape.”
Harry was thoughtful a moment. “Where do the rest of these branching passages lead?” said he.
“I have it!” cried Kitey excitedly. “If that horrible toad would keep out of the way, I could take you to one passage that leads in the right direction.”
“All right,” said Harry, “I’ll attend to the toad.”
Tearing off a small piece of the table-cloth, he continued, “I’ll tie him up in this piece, and while I am gone you can wrap up the rest of the food in the table-cloth for us to take with us.”
Proceeding to where the toad was, Harry made a little bag of the piece of cloth and gently tied the animal in it.