they are working in no other part of the mountain. But I never could
tell in what direction they were going. When we came out in the king's
garden, however, I thought at once whether it was possible they were
working toward the king's house; and what I want to do to-night is to
make sure whether they are or not. I will take a light with me--"
"Oh, Curdie," cried his mother, "then they will see you."
"I'm no more afraid of them now than I was before," rejoined
Curdie,--"now that I've got this precious shoe. They can't make
another
such in a hurry, and one bare foot will do for my purpose. Woman as
she
may be, I won't spare her next time. But I shall be careful with my
light, for I don't want them to see me. I won't stick it in my hat."
"Go on, then, and tell us what you mean to do."
"I mean to take a bit of paper with me and a pencil, and go in at the
mouth of the stream by which we came out. I shall mark on the paper
as
near as I can the angle of every turning I take until I find the cobs at
work, and so get a good idea in what direction they are going. If it
Madhuri Noah
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