file; and filing the partition from the wall on each side, which only
needed a few strokes from their sharp files, they pulled it entirely
down. But before the magicians could reach him, the dwarf again waved
his wand, and a great chasm opened in the floor before them, which was
too wide to jump over, and so deep that the bottom could not be seen.

"O ho!" cried the magicians; "another game, eh!"

"Yes indeed," cried the dwarf. "Just let me see you play at _that_."

Each of the magicians then took from under his magic cloak a long board,
and, putting them over the chasm, they began to walk across them. But
the dwarf jumped up and waved his wand, and water commenced to fall on
the boards, where it immediately froze; and they were so slippery, that
the magicians could hardly keep their feet, and could not make one step
forward. Even standing still, they came very near falling off into the
chasm below. "I suppose you can play at that," said the dwarf; and the
magicians replied.

[Illustration]

"O yes!" and each one took from under his cloak a pan of ashes, and
sprinkled the boards, and walked right over. But before they reached the
other edge, the dwarf pushed the chair, which was on rollers, up against
the wall behind him, which opened; and instantly the Princess,
Ting-a-ling, and the dwarf disappeared, and the wall closed up. Without
saying a word, the magicians each drew from beneath his cloak a pickaxe,
and they cut a hole in the wall in a few minutes. There was a large room
on the other side, but it was entirely empty. So they sat down, and got
out their magical calculators, and soon discovered that the Princess was
in the lowest part of the castle; but the magical calculators being a
little out of order, they could not show exactly her place of
confinement. Then the five hurried down-stairs, where they found the
slaves still asleep; but one poor little boy, whose business it was to
get up early every morning and split kindling wood, having had none of
the feast, was not very sleepy, and woke up when he heard footsteps near
him. The magicians asked him if he could show them to the lowest part of
the castle. "All right," said he; "this way;" and he led them to where
there was a great black hole, with a windlass over it. "Get in the
bucket," said he, "and I will lower you down."

"Bucket!" cried Alcahazar. "Is that a well?"

"To be sure it is," said the boy, who had nothing on but the
baby-clothes he had worn