Curdie's Mission The next night Curdie went home from the mine a little earlier than usual, to make himself tidy before going to the dove tower.

The princess had not appointed an exact time for him to be there; he would go as near the time he had gone first as he could.

On his way to the bottom of the hill, he met his father coming up.

The sun was then down, and the warm first of the twilight filled the evening.

He came rather wearily up the hill: the road, he thought, must have grown steeper in parts since he was Curdie's age.