undisturbed.

In the morning, however, Derba came to him in great agitation, and said
they had fastened up the door, so that she could not get out. Curdie
rose immediately and went with her: they found that not only the door,
but every window in the house was so secured on the outside that it was
impossible to open one of them without using great force. Poor Derba
looked anxiously in Curdie's face. He broke out laughing.

'They are much mistaken,' he said, 'if they fancy they could keep Lina
and a miner in any house in Gwyntystorm--even if they built up doors
and windows.'

With that he shouldered his mattock. But Derba begged him not to make
a hole in her house just yet. She had plenty for breakfast, she said,
and before it was time for dinner they would know what the people meant
by it.

And indeed they did. For within an hour appeared one of the chief
magistrates of the city, accompanied by a score of soldiers with drawn
swords, and followed by a great multitude of people, requiring the
miner and his brute to yield themselves, the one that he might be tried
for the disturbance he had occasioned and the injury he had committed,
the other that she might be roasted alive for her part in killing two
valuable and harmless animals belonging to worthy citizens. The
summons was preceded and followed by flourish of trumpet, and was read
with every formality by the city marshal himself.

The moment he ended, Lina ran into the little passage, and stood
opposite the door.

'I surrender,' cried Curdie.

'Then tie up your brute, and give her here.'

'No, no,' cried Curdie through the door. 'I surrender; but I'm not
going to do your hangman's work. If you want MY dog, you must take
her.'

'Then we shall set the house on fire, and burn witch and all.'

'It will go hard with us but we shall kill a few dozen of you first,'
cried Curdie. 'We're not the least afraid of you.' With that Curdie
turned to Derba, and said:

'Don't be frightened. I have a strong feeling that all will be well.
Surely no trouble will come to you for being good to strangers.'

'But the poor dog!' said Derba.

Now Curdie and Lina understood each other more than a little by this
time, and not only had he seen that she understood the proclamation,
but when she looked up at him after it was read, it was with such a
grin, and such a yellow flash, that he saw also she was determined to
take care of herself.

'The dog will probably give yo