“Well, can’t we escape from this place before they carry us down to the Gnomes?” asked Harry. Wamby shook his head dolefully. “No,” he replied; “they’ve taken away the pin with which I opened doors, and we can’t get out any other way.” “Here is the pin you gave me,” said Harry. “Won’t that do just as well?” Wamby eagerly took the pin, but his countenance soon fell again. “I’m afraid it’s no use for us to try,” he said; “come over here and look. Don’t speak a word.” Going across to the opposite side of the room, he waited till Harry was close beside him, and then sticking the pin in a hole in the wall, he pressed upon it thrice, and whispered: “Pin, pin, Trusty and stout, I am within, And want to look out.” The door opened a crack, and Wamby stepped aside and motioned Harry to take a peep. Harry did so, and saw that the passageway was fairly filled with elves of the largest size, each one armed with a long spear. He counted them, and found there were fifty keeping careful guard. Then the door closed quietly. Wamby turned around and threw himself hopelessly upon the couch. “Take that pin out of the hole,” he said; “it may be of use to us some time.” Harry snatched it out impatiently, and dropped it on the floor. “Pshaw!” he exclaimed. “What’s the matter?” inquired the elf. “I dropped the pin and can’t find it again,” said Harry. “Oh! here it is, sticking in a hole in the floor.” “What! in a hole?” cried Wamby, springing up excitedly. “Don’t touch it! Let me see! If there’s a hole, there must be a trap-door; and if there is, it will give us a chance of escape.” He kneeled down and rapped softly upon the floor, and listened intently. “Yes, there’s a door here. Stand aside, and I’ll show you.” He pressed upon the pin and repeated the usual words, and a trap-door opened in the floor, revealing a narrow passage, with stone steps descending. “Where does it lead to?” asked Harry. “I don’t know,” Wamby replied; “but we can soon find out.” He considered a moment, and then continued, “We’d better wait awhile, though. They’ll bring in our food before long, and if they find us gone they will start at once in pursuit and catch us. But if we wait until after the food is brought, it will give us time to get away a good distance before our flight is discovered.” It was well they took that precaution, for hardly was the trap-door closed when the other door opened, and four elves appeared, bearing a table laden with eatables. After the meal was despatched, Harry put in his pockets the food that remained, as it might be some time before they could obtain any more. Then, waiting until the four elves had returned and removed the empty table, they opened the trap-door and descended a few steps, when the door above them silently closed, and they were in total darkness. CHAPTER III. PURSUED. “What shall we do now?” asked Harry in dismay, catching Wamby by the arm. “We can never go on in this darkness.”