stones, showing that there water must have once run. He waited
again at this corner till they had disappeared round the next, and
so followed them a long way through one passage after another. The
passages grew more and more lofty, and were more and more covered
in the roof with shining stalactites.

It was a strange enough procession which he followed. But the
strangest part of it was the household animals which crowded
amongst the feet of the goblins. It was true they had no wild
animals down there - at least they did not know of any; but they
had a wonderful number of tame ones. I must, however, reserve any
contributions towards the natural history of these for a later
position in my story.

At length, turning a corner too abruptly, he had almost rushed into
the middle of the goblin family; for there they had already set
down all their burdens on the floor of a cave considerably larger
than that which they had left. They were as yet too breathless to
speak, else he would have had warning of their arrest. He started
back, however, before anyone saw him, and retreating a good way,
stood watching till the father should come out to go to the palace.

Before very long, both he and his son Helfer appeared and kept on
in the same direction as before, while Curdie followed them again
with renewed precaution. For a long time he heard no sound except
something like the rush of a river inside the rock; but at length
what seemed the far-off noise of a great shouting reached his ears,
which, however, presently ceased. After advancing a good way
farther, he thought he heard a single voice. It sounded clearer
and clearer as he went on, until at last he could almost