Close at his heels came Florimel and the Brownies, with King Stanislaus among them, but the monarch looked ill at ease, as though he suspected treachery of some kind.
The Demon Usher led them to a slight rise where there was a rocky formation, and stopped before a boulder so huge that it would have required the strength of many men to move it.
Searching with his long, thin fingers for a certain place, he found it at length, and pressed against it as hard as he could.
To the surprise of all the rest, the boulder began to slide easily away, disclosing the entrance to a dark, subterranean passage.
“Follow the passage,” cried the Demon Usher triumphantly, “and it will lead you to Dragonfel and his captives!”
Florimel and the Brownies at once entered, and King Stanislaus ran after them.
“Stop!” came his warning. “Before we go any farther let us first consider.”
But when they were all inside it suddenly grew pitch-black, as the boulder quickly slid back into its place.