“Come on Beauty, let’s go,” said Jo, and went down the steps, wishing she had a torch. She remembered the little lantern that had been left in the hidden room, and felt more cheerful. She would be able to take that with her down all those dark passages. Good!

Beauty slithered in front of her. He knew the way all right! They came to the little room, and Jo thankfully picked up the lantern. She looked down at the big python and he stared up at her with gleaming, unwinking eyes. His long body coiled and uncoiled, shining brown and polished in the light.

“I wouldn’t mind you for a pet, if you were a bit smaller,” Jo told him. “I don’t know why people don’t like snakes. Oh, Beauty — it makes me laugh to think of the way you treated those men!”

She chuckled as she went along the secret ways, holding the lantern high, except when she came to the last passage of all, and had to walk bent double. Beauty waited for her when she came to the hole in the wall. He had heard noises outside.

Jo climbed out first, and was immensely surprised to find herself pounced on and held. She wriggled and shouted and struggled, and finally bit the hand that was holding her.

Then a torch was shone on her and a shout went up. “It’s Jo! Jo, where have you been? And look here, if you bite like that I’ll scrag you!”

“Bufflo! I’m sorry — but what did you want to go and pounce on me for?” cried Jo. The moon suddenly came out and lighted up the scene. She saw Julian and the rest there, coming up eagerly.

“Jo! Are you all right?” said her uncle. “We were worried about you. Where have you been?”

Jo took no notice. She ran up to Dick and the others. “You escaped!” she cried. “Did you all get safely down the peg-rope?”

“There’s no time to tell about that now,” said Bufflo, watching the hole in the wall. “What about those fellows? We’re waiting for them here. Did you hear anything of them, Jo?”

“Oh, yes. I followed them. Oh, Bufflo, it was so funny…” said Jo, and began to laugh. Bufflo, shook her, but she couldn’t stop. And then who should come gliding out through the hole but Beauty!

Mr. Slither saw him at once and gave a yell. “Beauty! Jo, did you take him with you. You wicked girl! Come here, my Beauty!”

The snake glided to him and wound himself lovingly round him.

“I’m not wicked,” said Jo, indignantly. “Beauty wanted to come with me and he did — and oh, he got mixed up with all those men, and…”

She went off into peals of laughter again. Dick grinned in sympathy. Jo was very funny when she couldn’t stop laughing.

Alfredo shook her roughly and made her stop. “Tell us what you know about those men,” he commanded. “Are they coming out this way? Where are they?”