Then turning to the miners, he said:
“Will you do the best you can for my servants tonight? I hope they will be able to return to the house tomorrow.”
The miners with one voice promised their hospitality. Then the king commanded his servants to mind whatever Curdie should say to them, and after shaking hands with him and his father and mother, the king and the princess and all their company rode away down the side of the new stream, which had already devoured half the road, into the starry night.