cated his plan to her, and knew by the wagging of her tail and
the flashing of her eyes that she comprehended it. Until they had the
king safe through the worst part of the night, however, nothing could
be done.

They had now merely to go on waiting where they were till the household
should be asleep. This waiting and waiting was much the hardest thing
Curdie had to do in the whole affair. He took his mattock and, going
again into the long passage, lighted a candle end and proceeded to
examine the rock on all sides. But this was not merely to pass the
time: he had a reason for it. When he broke the stone in the street,
over which the baker fell, its appearance led him to pocket a fragment
for further examination; and since then he had satisfied himself that
it was the kind of stone in which gold is found, and that the yellow
particles in it were pure metal. If such stone existed here in any
plenty, he could soon make the king rich and independent of his
ill-conditioned subjects. He was therefore now bent on an examination
of the rock; nor had he been at it long before he was persuaded that
there were large quantities of gold in the half-crystalline white
stone, with its veins of opaque white and of green, of which the rock,
so far as he had been able to inspect it, seemed almost entirely to
consist. Every piece he broke was spotted with particles and little
lumps of a lovely greenish yellow--and that was gold. Hitherto he had
worked only in silver, but he had read, and heard talk, and knew,
therefore, about gold. As soon as he had got the king free of rogues
and villains, he would have all the best and most honest miners, with
his father at the head of them, to work this rock for the king.

It was a great delight to him to use his mattock once more. The time
went quickly, and when he left the passage to go to the king's chamber,
he had already a good heap of fragments behind the broken door.

CHAPTER 23

Dr Kelman

As soon as he had reason to hope the way was clear, Curdie ventured
softly into the hall, with Lina behind him. There was no one asleep on
the bench or floor, but by the fading fire sat a girl weeping. It was
the same who had seen him carrying off the food, and had been so hardly
used for saying so. She opened her eyes when he appeared, but did not
seem frightened at him.

'I know why you weep,' said Curdie, 'and I am sorry for you.'

'It is hard not to be believed just because one spe