Around them again as they stood there seemed to float voices and whispers, though not one articulate word could either hear.

In the gloom they saw nothing save the fiery eyes of the great cat, which appeared to be crouched upon the table beside its mistress.

The whisperings and voices, sometimes accompanied by soft or mocking laughter, continued for the space of several moments, and appeared to be interrupted at last by the tap of the wise woman's wand upon the table, which three times repeated enforced a sudden silence.
The silence was for a moment more awe inspiring than what had gone first; but before Cherry had more time than sufficed to nip Cuthbert hard by the hand, they heard the old woman's voice, in an accent of stern command, uttering one single word: "Speak!" There was a brief pause, and then a sweet low voice rose in the room and seemed to float round them, whilst the words with their rhythmic cadence fell distinctly on the ears of the listening pair: "Three times three--on a moonlight night, The oak behind, the beech to right; Three times three--over ling and moss, Robin's gain is Trevlyn's loss.
"Three times three--the war is long, Yet vengeance hums, and the back is strong; Three times three--the dell is deep, It knows its secret well to keep.
"Three times three--the bones gleam white, None dare pass by day or night; Three times three--the riddle tell! The answer lies in the pixies' well." The voice ceased as suddenly as it had begun.
"Is that all ?" asked the harsh accents of the wise woman.
"That is all the spirits choose to tell," answered the soft voice, already, as it seemed, far away; and in another moment the lamp shone forth again.
The cat leaped down from the table with a hissing sound, and the old woman was revealed in her former position, resting her two elbows on the table, her withered face supported in the palm of her hand.
"Thou hast heard ?" "Ay, but I have not understood.

Canst thou read the riddle to me ?" But the old woman shook her head.
"That may not be; that thou must do for thyself.

I will write down the words for thee, that thou mayest not forget; but thou, and thou alone, must find the clue." With swift fingers she transcribed some characters on a fragment of parchment, and Cuthbert marvelled at the skill in penmanship the old woman displayed when she gave the paper into his hands.