id his mother.

'Am I, mother? Oh--yes--I suppose I ought to be! I declare I've never
thought of it since I got up to go down amongst the cobs!'

'Let me see the wound,' said his mother.

He pulled down his stocking--when behold, except a great scar, his leg
was perfectly sound!

Curdie and his mother gazed in each other's eyes, full of wonder, but
Irene called out:

'I thought so, Curdie! I was sure it wasn't a dream. I was sure my
grandmother had been to see you. Don't you smell the roses? It was my
grandmother healed your leg, and sent you to help me.'

'No, Princess Irene,' said Curdie; 'I wasn't good enough to be allowed
to help you: I didn't believe you. Your grandmother took care of you
without me.'

'She sent you to help my people, anyhow. I wish my king-papa would
come. I do want so to tell him how good you have been!'

'But,' said the mother, 'we are forgetting how frightened your people
must be. You must take the princess home at once, Curdie--or at least
go and tell them where she is.'

'Yes, mother. Only I'm dreadfully hungry. Do let me have some
breakfast first. They ought to have listened to me, and then they
wouldn't have been taken by surprise as they were.'

'That is true, Curdie; but it is not for you to blame them much. You
remember?'

'Yes, mother, I do. Only I must really have something to eat.'

'You shall, my boy--as fast as I can get it,' said his mother, rising
and setting the princess on her chair.

But before his breakfast was ready, Curdie jumped up so suddenly as to
startle both his companions.

'Mother, mother!' he cried, 'I was forgetting. You must take the
princess home yourself. I must go and wake my father.'

Without a word of explanation, he rushed to the place where his father
was sleeping. Having thoroughly roused him with what he told him he
darted out of the cottage.

CHAPTER 29

Masonwork

He had all at once remembered the resolution of the goblins to carry
out their second plan upon the failure of the first. No doubt they
were already busy, and the mine was therefore in the greatest danger of
being flooded and rendered useless--not to speak of the lives of the
miners.

When he reached the mouth of the mine, after rousing all the miners
within reach, he found his father and a good many more just entering.
They all hurried to the gang by which he had found a way into the
goblin country. There the foresight of Peter had already collec