"Very well; take a chair, and I will see if I can find it."

But Truella feared the little man was deceiving her; so when he turned
his back she took the magic veil from her basket and threw it over her
head. Immediately it began unfolding until it covered her completely,
from head to foot.

The Wizard walked over to a cupboard, which he opened; and, while
pretending to search for the toe, he suddenly turned on a big faucet
that was concealed under a shelf. At once the thunder rolled, the
lightning flashed, and from the arched ceiling of the cavern drops of
fire began to fall, coming thicker and thicker until a perfect shower
of burning drops filled the room.

These fell hissing upon Truella's veil, but could not penetrate it, for
they all bounded off and were scattered upon the rocky floor, where
they soon burned themselves out. Seeing this the Wizard gave a sigh of
disappointment and turned off the faucet, when the fire-drops ceased to
fall.

"Please excuse this little interruption," he said, as if he had not
been the cause of it himself. "I'll find the toe in a few minutes. I
must have mislaid it somewhere."

But Truella suspected he was up to more mischief, and was on her guard.
She saw him stealthily press a button, and in the same instant a deep
gulf opened in the floor of the cave, half way between the Princess and
the Wizard.