Hastily putting out the fire which burned brightly at the back , and bidding his mother come in and keep very still , the prince began to pace up and down , listening for the return of the robbers . But he was very sleepy , and in spite of all his efforts he felt he could not keep awake much longer , when he heard the sound of the robbers returning , shouting and singing as they marched along . Soon the singing ceased , and straining his ears he heard them discussing anxiously what had become of their cave , and why they could not see the fire as usual . ` This must be the place , ' said a voice , which the prince took to be that of the captain . ` Yes , I feel the ditch before the entrance . Someone forgot to pile up the fire before we left and it has burnt itself out ! But it is all right . Let every man jump across , and as he does so cry out `` Hop ! I am here . '' I will go last . Now begin . ' The man who stood nearest jumped across , but he had no time to give the call which the captain had ordered , for with one swift , silent stroke of the prince 's sword , his head rolled into a corner . Then the young man cried instead , ` Hop ! I am here . ' The second man , hearing the signal , leapt the ditch in confidence , and was met by the same fate , and in a few minutes eleven of the robbers lay dead , and there remained only the captain . Now the captain had wound round his neck the shawl of his lost wife , and the stroke of the prince 's sword fell harmless . Being very cunning , however , he made no resistance , and rolled over as if he were as dead as the other men . Still , the prince was no fool , and wondered if indeed he was as dead as he seemed to be ; but the captain lay so stiff and stark , that at last he was taken in . The prince next dragged the headless bodies into a chamber in the cave , and locked the door . Then he and his mother ransacked the place for some food , and when they had eaten it they lay down and slept in peace .
With the dawn they were both awake again , and found that , instead of the cave which they had come to the night before , they now were in a splendid castle , full XXXXX beautiful rooms .
across as at before by if in into of to