"A rat-hole!" cried the robber-magician, bursting into a roar of
laughter. "A rat-hole! My cave a rat-hole! Ho! ho! ho!'

"Yes, I did," said Teddy, "and I didn't know it was yours, but if you
want me to go I will."

"Not so fast," said the robber. "Sometimes it is easier to come into my
cave than to go out, and you must sit down and have some supper with me
now that you are here."

Teddy was quite willing to do that, for he was really hungry, so he and
the robber drew chairs up to the table, and the Bird-maiden, at a
gesture from the robber, picked up the sack that he had thrown upon the
ground, and out from it she drew some pieces of bread and some bits of
cold meat. It did not look particularly good, but it seemed to be all
there was, so when the robber began to eat Teddy helped himself too.

The robber-magician did not take off his hat, and he ate very fast;
after a while he leaned back in his chair and began to tell Teddy what a
great magician he was, and about his treasure chamber.

"There," he said, "is where I keep my gold. I have gold, and gold, and
gold, great bars and lumps and crusts of gold, all piled up in my
treasure chamber." At last he rose, pushed back his chair, and bade
Teddy follow him and he should see how great and rich he was.

Leading the way across the cave, he unlocked the third door, and
flinging it open stepped back so that Teddy might look in. As he opened
it a very curious smell came out.