“Oh, say not so, kind master!” cried the Demon Usher, shaking with even greater violence than before. “If they catch me they will kill me.”
“Then it will be good riddance to bad rubbish,” was Dragonfel’s unfeeling retort. “I said you were to stay, so that settles it. When the Brownies ask you where we’ve gone, you’re to tell them to the mine. They’ll probably make you lead them to it. When they do take them to the secret entrance, and after they are in close the boulder on them. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, I grasp you perfectly,” said the Demon Usher, “but, oh, kind master, I have a weak heart, and at times it fails me. Would it not be better to intrust a delicate matter like this to Snoutpimple?”
“After they are imprisoned,” went on Dragonfel, unheeding the suggestion, “you can come around by the main entrance, and let me know.”
Just as soon as he was fully convinced that all danger was over the enchanter passed the word around among his followers to decamp, and this was effected so insidiously that the Brownies did not notice it.
They laid rough hands on Queen Titania, Dame Drusilda, Violet, and Daffodil, muffling the cries for help they tried to make, and bore them with great haste from the scene of excitement; the waving arms and kicking availed them nothing.
With their struggling, protesting burdens in their arms they ran toward the mine, and descended into it by the main entrance. When they reached the great shaft where the mine-sprites were hard at work, Titania, Dame Drusilda, Violet, and Daffodil were released, and they looked around with wonder and surprise.
The mine-sprites cast furtive glances of curiosity at these strange new faces that invited confidence, but so frightened were they when they saw their cruel master that they redoubled their efforts, and their fingers fairly flew as they dug them in the earth for precious stones.
“Poor little things!” was Queen Titania’s involuntary cry. “The work is too hard for them.”
“I’ve been thinking of that,” said Dragonfel, with a chuckle, “and I’ve decided to put an extra force on.”