ecess where they were. But as soon as he showed
himself, Lina opened her jaws so wide, and glared at him so horribly,
that, without even uttering a whimper, he tucked his tail between his
legs and ran to his master. He was drawing the wicked wine at the
moment, and did not see him, else he would doubtless have run too.

When suppertime approached, Curdie took his place at the door into the
servants' hall; but after a long hour's vain watch, he began to fear he
should get nothing: there was so much idling about, as well as coming
and going. It was hard to bear--chiefly from the attractions of a
splendid loaf, just fresh out of the oven, which he longed to secure
for the king and princess. At length his chance did arrive: he pounced
upon the loaf and carried it away, and soon after got hold of a pie.

This time, however, both loaf and pie were missed. The cook was
called. He declared he had provided both. One of themselves, he said,
must have carried them away for some friend outside the palace. Then a
housemaid, who had not long been one of them, said she had seen someone
like a page running in the direction of the cellar with something in
his hands. Instantly all turned upon the pages, accusing them, one
after another. All denied, but nobody believed one of them: Where
there is no truth there can be no faith.

To the cellar they all set out to look for the missing pie and loaf.
Lina heard them coming, as well she might, for they were talking and
quarrelling loud, and gave her master warning. They snatched up
everything, and got all signs of their presence out at the back door
before the servants entered. When they found nothing, they all turned
on the chambermaid, and accused her, not only of lying against the
pages, but of having taken the things herself. Their language and
behaviour so disgusted Curdie, who could hear a great part of what
passed, and he saw the danger of discovery now so much increased, that
he began to devise how best at once to rid the palace of the whole pack
of them. That, however, would be small gain so long as the treacherous
officers of state continued in it. They must be first dealt with. A
thought came to him, and the longer he looked at it the better he liked
it.

As soon as the servants were gone, quarrelling and accusing all the
way, they returned and finished their supper. Then Curdie, who had
long been satisfied that Lina understood almost every word he said,
communi