From the hall they came out into the courtyard. Jill， who ent to a riding school in the holidays， had just noticed thesmell of a stable （a very nice， honest， homely smell it is to meet in a place like Underland） when Eustace said， “Great Scott！ Look at that！” A magnificent rocket had risen from somewhere beyond the castle walls and broken into green stars.
“Fireworks！” said Jill in a puzzled voice.
“Yes，” said Eustace， “but you can‘t imagine those Earthpeople letting them off for fun！ It must be a signal.”
“And means no good to us， I’ll be bound，” said Puddleglum. “Friends，” said the Prince， “when once a man is launched on such an adventure as this， he must bid farewell to hopes and fears， otherwise death or deliverance will both come too late to save his honour and his reason. Ho， my beauties” （he was now opening the stable door）. “Hey cousins！ Steady，Coalblack！ Softly now， Snowflake！ You are not forgotten.”
