n invitation to His Majesty of Borsagrass to enter
at their open gates, destroy their king, and annex their country to his
own.

The straits of isolation were soon found in the palace: its invalids
were requiring stronger food, and what was to be done? For if the
butchers sent meat to the palace, was it not likely enough to be
poisoned? Curdie said to Derba he would think of some plan before
morning.

But that same night, as soon as it was dark, Lina came to her master,
and let him understand she wanted to go out. He unlocked a little
private postern for her, left it so that she could push it open when
she returned, and told the crocodile to stretch himself across it
inside. Before midnight she came back with a young deer.

Early the next morning the legserpent crept out of the wine cellar,
through the broken door behind, shot into the river, and soon appeared
in the kitchen with a splendid sturgeon. Every night Lina went out
hunting, and every morning Legserpent went out fishing, and both
invalids and household had plenty to eat. As to news, the page, in
plain clothes, would now and then venture out into the market place,
and gather some.

One night he came back with the report that the army of the king of
Borsagrass had crossed the border. Two days after, he brought the news
that the enemy was now but twenty miles from Gwyntystorm.

The colonel of the guard rose, and began furbishing his armour--but
gave it over to the page, and staggered across to the barracks, which
were in the next street. The sentry took him for a ghost or worse, ran
into the guardroom, bolted the door, and stopped his ears. The poor
colonel, who was yet hardly able to stand, crawled back despairing.

For Curdie, he had already, as soon as the first rumour reached him,
resolved, if no other instructions came, and the king continued unable
to give orders, to call Lina and the creatures, and march to meet the
enemy. If he died, he died for the right, and there was a right end of
it. He had no preparations to make, except a good sleep.

He asked the king to let the housemaid take his place by His Majesty
that night, and went and lay down on the floor of the corridor, no
farther off than a whisper would reach from the door of the chamber.
There, with an old mantle of the king's thrown over him, he was soon
fast asleep.

Somewhere about the middle of the night, he woke suddenly, started to
his feet, and rubbed his eyes. He could no