When he had finished, he begged Irene to tell him how it was that she had come to his rescue.

So Irene too had to tell a long story, which she did in rather a roundabout manner, interrupted by many questions concerning things she had not explained.
But her tale, as he did not believe more than half of it, left everything as unaccountable to him as before, and he was nearly as much perplexed as to what he must think of the princess.

He could not believe that she was deliberately telling stories, and the only conclusion he could come to was that Lootie had been playing the child tricks, inventing no end of lies to frighten her for her own purposes.
'But how ever did Lootie come to let you go into the mountains alone ?'he asked.
'Lootie knows nothing about it.

I left her fast asleep--at least I think so.

I hope my grandmother won't let her get into trouble, for it wasn't her fault at all, as my grandmother very well knows.' 'But how did you find your way to me ?' persisted Curdie.
'I told you already,' answered Irene; 'by keeping my finger upon my grandmother's thread, as I am doing now.' 'You don't mean you've got the thread there ?' 'Of course I do.