THE patch of light did not show up anything down in the darkness where they were standing. The others could only hear, not see, Jill's efforts to get on to the Marsh-wiggle's back. That is, they heard him saying, “You needn't put your finger in my eye, ” and, “Nor your foot in my mouth either, ” and, “That's more like it, ” and, “Now, I'll hold on to your legs. That'll leave your arms free to steady yourself against the earth.”
Then they looked up and soon they saw the black shape of Jill's head against the patch of light.
“Well? ” they all shouted up anxiously.
“It's a hole, ” called Jill's voice. “I could get through it if I was a little bit higher.”
“What do you see through it? ” asked Eustace.
“Nothing much yet, ” said Jill. “I say, Puddleglum, let go my legs so that I can stand on your shoulders instead of sitting on them. I can steady myself all right against the edge.”
They could hear her moving and then much more of her came into sight against the grayness of the opening; in fact all of her down to the waist.
“I say—” began Jill, but suddenly broke off with a cry: not a sharp cry. It sounded more as if her mouth had been muffled up or had something pushed into it. After that she found her voice and seemed to be shouting out as loud as she could, but they couldn't hear the words. Two things then happened at the same moment. The patch of light was completely blocked up for a second or so; and they heard both a scuffling, struggling sound and the voice of the Marsh-wiggle gasping:“Quick! Help! Hold on to her legs.
Someone's pulling her. There! No, here. Too late! ”
The opening, and the cold light which filled it, were now perfectly clear again. Jill had vanished.
“Jill! Jill! ” they shouted frantically, but there was no answer.
“Why the dickens couldn't you have held her feet? ” said Eustace.