The goblins raced to the tree. Yellow-Cap won the race and climbed up quickly, while the others ran all round looking to see what they could find. They found nothing, and Yellow-Cap was just coming down again when he spied a bird's-nest with three dear little blue eggs in it. He crawled along the branch to look at the eggs, and saw something white under the nest. Yellow-Cap pulled it gently, and out came an envelope. Full of joy he slipped down to his brothers. They opened the envelope and found a sheet of paper on which was written in gold letters,-- "You who seek the Feather Red First the Serpent's blood must shed; In the cave where fairies dwell The Feather lies, so search it well." "Hurrah!" cried Red-Cap. "Let us make haste and find the cave." Soon they came to a big dark forest, and after they had gone a little way they saw a fence and a large board on which was written in red letters,-- TOM TIDDLER'S GROUND TRESPASSERS WILL BE PROSECUTED. The goblins looked over the fence and saw that the ground was covered with gold and silver! "Oh!" they cried, "let us fill our pockets. What fun!" and they began to climb over the fence. [Illustration] [Illustration] They all got safely down on the other side, and seeing no one about they began to fill their pockets with the shining money, singing, "We are on Tom Tiddler's ground, picking up gold and silver." Suddenly they heard a big rough voice say, "Yes, you are on Tom Tiddler's ground, and Tom Tiddler will lock you all up, you little thieves." The goblins dropped their handfuls of gold and silver, and found themselves caught up by a great big giant who carried them off, with great long strides, to his house. Tom Tiddler took them into a large kitchen where Mrs. Tiddler was busy making the tea. "Wife," said he, "put these goblins in the pantry, and we will have them fried on toast for breakfast." The poor little brothers were locked up in the pantry, and they sat down on the floor holding each others hands very tight and shaking with fear. At last they grew bolder, and began to think how they could get away. They tried to open the window, and found to their joy that Tom Tiddler had forgotten to lock it. They crept out very quietly and climbed down by the thick ivy which grew up the wall. The goblins ran as fast as they could, only stopping to fill a sack which they had found with gold and silver. They knew that Tom Tiddler and his wife were at tea, and would not think of coming out for some time. [Illustration] [Illustration] The brothers managed, after a great deal of hard work, to get the sack over the fence, and as it was too heavy to drag with them they agreed to bury it in the forest and dig it up as they came back. Just when they were ready a rabbit came up to them. "Hullo, little chaps," said the rabbit, "where are you off to?" "We are on our way to the fairies' cave," they replied.