“AndwesailedfromGalma,”uedDrinian,“andranintoacalmforthebestpartoftwodaysandhadtorow,andthenhadwindagainanddidhiatillthefourthdayfromGalma。AheirKiawarningnottolandfortherewassiTerebinthia,butwedoubledthedputinatalittlecreekfarfromthedwatered。Theolieoffforthreedaysbefotasouth-eastwindandstoodoutforSevehirddayoutapirate(Terebinthianbyherrig)overhauledus,butwhenshesawuswellarmedshestoodoffaftersomeshootingofarrowso—”
“Aohavegivenherdbedeverymother'ssonofthem,”saidReepicheep。
“—AndinfivedaysmhtofMuil,which,asyouknow,isthewesternmostoftheSevehehroughthestraitsasundownintoRedhavenontheisleofBrenn,ereveryloviedandhadvideleftRedhavensixdaysagoandhavemademarvellouslygoodspeed,sothatIhopetoseetheLoneIslaertomorrow。Thesumis,wearehirtydaysatseaandhavesailedmorethanfuesfromNarnia。”
“AheLoneIslands?”saidLucy。
“Nooneknows,yourMajesty,”answeredDriniaheLohemselvestellus。”
“They'tinourdays,”saidEdmund。
“Then,”saidReepicheep,“itisaftertheLoneIslandsthattheadventurereallybegins。”
owsuggestedthattheymightliketobeshowheshipbeforesupper,butLucy'scesmoteherandshesaid,“Ithigoaace。Seasiessishorrid,youknow。IfIhadmyoldcordialwithmeIcouldcurehim。”
“Butyouhave,”said。“I'dquitefottenaboutit。AsyouleftitbehindIthoughtitmightberegardedasoreasuresandshtit—ifyouthinkitoughttobewastedonathinglikeseasiess。”
“It'llonlytakeadrop,”saidLucy。
opeheloeaththebendbroughtoutthebeautifullittlediamondflaskwhichLucyrememberedsowell。
“Takebackyourown,Queeheythehedwentoutintothesunshine。
Ihereweretwhatches,foreandaftofthemast,andbothopen,astheyalwayswereioletlightandairiheship。ledthemdowheafterhatch。Heretheyfoundthemselvesinaplacewherebenchesfranfromsidetosideathroughtheoarholesaheroof。Ofcourse'sshipwasnotthathorriblething,agalleyrowedbyslaves。OarswereusedonlywhenwindfailedinandoutofharbourandeveryoReepicheepwhoselegsweretooshort)hadofteurn。Ateachsideoftheshipthespaderthebencheswasleftclearfortherowers'feet,butalldowherewasakindofpitntotheverykeelandthiswasfilledwithallkindsofthings—sacksofflour,casksofwaterandbeer,barrelsofpork,jarsofhoney,skinbottlesofles,nuts,cheeses,biscuits,turnips,sidesofbatheroof—thatis,fromtheuhedeghamsandstringsofonions,andalsothemechoffdutyintheirhammocks。ledthemaft,steppiobeingforhim,aandajumpforLudareallongjumpforReepithiswaytheycametoapartitionwithadoorinit。opehedooraoawhichfilledthesterhedesiwasofotsowasverylowandthesidesslopedtogetherastheywentdownsothattherewashardlyanyfloor;andthoughithadwindowsofthickglass,theywereoopeheywereuer。Infactatthisverymomechedtheywerealternatelygoldenwithsunlightahesea。
“YouandImustlodgehere,Edmund,”said。“We'llleaveyourkinsmanthebunkandslinghammocksforourselves。”
“Ibeseeajesty—”saidDrinian。
“No,noshipmate,”said,“wehavearguedallthatoutalready。YouandRhincewasthemate)“aresailingtheshipandwillhavedlaboursmanyanightwhenwearesingiellingstories,soyouahavetheportabove。KingEdmundandIlieverysnugherebelow。Buthowisthestranger?”
&ace,verygreenintheface,sdaskedwhethertherewasanysigless。Butsaid,“Whatstorm?”andDrinianburstoutlaughing。
“Stmaster!”heroared。“Thisisasfairweatherasamancouldaskfor。”
“Who'sthat?”saidEustaceirritably。“Sendhimaway。Hisvoiceghmyhead。”
“Ihtyousomethingthatwillmakeyoufeelbetter,Eustace,”saidLucy。
“Oh,goawayandleavemealone,”growledEustace。Buthetookadropfromherflask,andthoughhesaiditwasbeastlystuff(thesmellinthesheopewasdelicious)itisthathisfacecametherightomentsafterhehadswallowedit,ahavefeltbetterbesteadofwailingaboutthestormandhishead,hebegaobeputashoreandsaidthatatthefirstporthewould“lodgeadisposition”agaihtheBritishsul。ButwhenReepicheepaskedositionwasandhowyoulodgedit(Reepicheepthoughtitwassomenewwayasi)Eustacelyreply,“Fanowingthat。”IheysugEustacethattheywerealreadysailingasfastastheycouldtowardtheheykhattheyhadnomorepowerofsendinghimbabridge—hereUncleHaroldlived—thanofsendinghimtothemoohesulkilyagreedtoputohesutoutforhimandeondeck。
owshowedthemovertheship,thoughiheyhadseenmostitalready。Theywentupoleamanstandingonalittleshelfihegildeddragon'snedpeeringthroughitsopenmouth。Ilewasthegalley(orship'skitdquartersforsuchpeopleastheboatswaier,thedthemaster-archer。Ifyouthinkitoddtohavethegalleyinthebowsahesmokefromitseystreamingbackovertheship,thatisbecauseyouarethinkingofsteamshipswherethereisalwaysaheadwind。Onasailingshipthewindisbehind,andanythingsmellyisputasfarforossible。Theytothefightingtop,andatfirstitwasratheralarmingtorodfrothereahedeallandfarawaybeh。Yourealizedthatifyoufelltherearticularreasonwhyyoushouldfallonboardratherthaheakentothepoop,whereRhindutywithathegreattiller,athedragon'stailroseup,cilding,androuraheheshipwasDawnTreader。ShewasonlyalittlebitofathihoneofourIships,orevenwiththeonds,carradgalleonswhiiahadownedwhenLudEdmuhereuheHighKing,fornearlyallnavigatiointhereignsof'saors。Whenhisuheusurper,hadsentthesevenlordstosea,theyhadhadtobuyaGalmianshipandmanitwithhiredGalmiansailors。Butnoiaeaarnianstobesea-faringfolkoheDawhefishiphehadbuiltyet。Shewassosmallthat,forwardofthemast,therewashardlyanydebetweedtheship'sboatohehen-coop(Lucyfedtheheher。Butshewasabeautyofherkind,a“lady”assailorssay,herli,hercolorspure,andeverysparandropeandpinloviaceofcoursewouldbepleasedwithnothionboastingaboutlinersandmotor-boatsandaeroplanesandsubmarines(“Asifhekhingaboutthem,”mutteredEdmund),buttheothertwhtedwiththeDawnTreader,aheyreturothedsupper,andsaesternskylitupwithanimmensesu,ahequiveroftheship,ahesaltontheirlips,andthoughtofunknownlaernrimoftheworld,Lucyfeltthatshewasalmosttoohappytospeak。
WhatEustacethoughthadbestbetoldinhisownwords,forwhetheirclothesback,dried,m,heatoalittleblaotebookandapendstartedtokeepadiary。Healwayshadthishhimaarearksinit,fhhedidn'tcaremuchaboutasownsake,hecaredagreatdealaboutmarksaopeopleandsay,“Igotsomuch。Whatdidyouget?”Butashedidn'tseemlikelytogetmanymarksoreaderhenowstartedadiary。Thiswasthefirstentry。
“August7th。Havey-fourhoursonthisghastlyboatifitisn'tadream。Allthetimeafrightfulstormhasbeenraging(it'sagoodthingI'mnotseasick)。Hugeihefrontahebounderaimes。Alltheotherspreteiceofthis,eitherfromswankorbecauseHaroldsaysocsordinarypeopledoistoshuttheireyestoFaadoeoutintotheseailethihis。Notmuchbiggertha。And,ofcourse,absolutelyprimitiveindoors。Nopropersaloon,noradio,nobathrooms,nodeck-chairs。IwasdraggedalloverityesterdayeveninganditwouldmakeaohearshowingoffhisfuasifitwastheQueenMary。Itriedtotellhimsarelike,buthe'stoodense。E。andL。,ofcourse,didn'tbackmeup。IsupposeakidlikeL。doesn'trealizethedaeringupC。aseveryoheycallhimaKing。IsaidIublibuthehadtoaskmewhatthatmeaseemtoknowanythingatall。osayI'vebeenputiofthebeon,andLucyhasbeengivenawholeroomooherself,almostaniparedwiththerestofthisplace。C。saysthat'sbecauseshe'sagirl。ItriedtomakehimseewhatAlbertasays,thatallthatsortofthingisreallylirlsbuthewastoodeill,hemightseethatIshallbeillifI'mkeptinthatholeanylonger。E。sayswemustn'tgrumblebecauseC。issharingitwithushimselftomakeroomforL。Asifthatdidn'tmakeitmoredfarwottosaythatthereisalsoakindofMousethingthatgiveseveryofrightfulcheek。TheothersputupwithitiftheylikebutIshalltwisthistailprettysooohefhtfultoo。”
&roublebetweeadReepicheeparrivedevehanmighthavebeeed。Beforediday,whehersweresittingrouable,waitiseagivesoneamagite),Eustacecamerushingin,wringinghishandandshoutingout:“Thatlittlebrutehashalfkilledme。Iinsistourol。Iganaagainstyou,。icouldorderyoutohaveitdestroyed。”
AtthesamemomentReepicheepappeared。Hissnandhiswhiskerslookedveryfiercebutheoliteasever。
“Iaskyourpardonsall,”hesaid,“andespeciallyherMajesty's。IfIhadknowakerefugehereIwouldhaveawaitedamorereasoimeforhis。”
“Whatoh'sup?”askedEdmund。
Whathadreallyhappehis。Reepicheep,whoheshipwasgettingonfastenough,lovedtositonthebulwarksfarforwardjustbesidethedragon'shead,gazingoutattheeasternhorizonandsingingsoftlyinhislittlegvoigtheDryadhadmadeforhim。Heoanythiheshippitdkepthisbalahperfectease;perhapshislongtail,hangingdowntothedesidethebulwarks,madethiseasier。Everyoneonboardwasfamiliarwiththishabit,andthesailorslikeditbeonewasonlook-outdutyitgaveoalkto。WhyexactlyEustacehadslippedaumbledallthewayforwardtotheforecastle(hehadhissea-legs)Ineverheard。Perhapshehopedhewouldseeland,orperhapshewaohangaboutthegalleyandsething。Anyway,assoolongtailhangingdosittiitwouldbedelightfultocatchholdofit,swingReepidbyitowiceupside-down,thenrunawayandlaugh,Atfirsttheplaoworkbeautifully。TheMousewasnotmuchheavierthanaverylargecat。Eustacehadhimofftherailinatridverysillyhelooked(thoughtEustace)withhislittlelimbsallsplayedoutandhismouthopen。ButunfortunatelyReepicheep,whohadfoughtforhislifemanyatime,hisheadevenforamoment。Norhisskill。Itisodrawone'sswordwhenoneisswingingroundintheairbyoail,buthedid。Ahiaeoagonizingjabsinhishandwhichmadehimletgoofthetail;ahiwasthattheMousehadpickeditselfupagainasifitwereaballboungoffthededthereitwasfaghim,andah,bright,sharpthinglikeaskeavingtoandfrowithinaninchofhisstomach。(Thisdoesn'ttasbelowthebeltformiiabecausetheyhardlybeexpectedther。)
“Stopit,”splutteredEustace,“goautthatthingaway。It's,Isay。I'lltell。I'llhaveyoumuzzledandtiedup。”
“Whydoyounotdraord,poltrooheMouse。“DrawandfightorI'llbeatyoubladbluewiththeflat。”
“Ihaven'tgotone,”saidEustaapacifist。Idon'tbelieveinfighting。”
“DoIuand,”saidReepicheep,withdrawinghisswordforamomentandspeakiernly,“thatyoudoogivemesatisfa?”
“Idon'tknowwhatyoumean,”saidEustaghishand。“Ifyoudon'tknowhowtotakeajokeIshan'tbothermyheadaboutyou。”
&hat,”saidReepidthat—toteaaherespectduetoaknight—andaMouse—aail—”andateachwaveEustaceablowwiththesideofhisrapier,whichwasthiemperedsteelandassuppleaiveasabirchrod。Eustace(ofcourse)wasataschoolwheretheydidn'thavecorporalpuhesensationwasquiteohim。Thatwaswhy,inspiteofhavitookhimlessthaoffthatforedcoverthewholelengthofthededburstinatthedoor—stillhotlypursuedbyReepideeditseemedtoEustacethattherapierasursuitwashot。Itmighthavebeebythefeel。
&muchdiffisettlieroacerealizedthateveryoheideaofaduelseriouslyandheardtolendhimasword,andDrinianandEdmunddisgwhetherheoughttobehandisomeforhisbeingsomuchbiggerthanReepicheep。HeapologizedsulkilyaoffwithLucytohavehishandbathedaheohisbunk。Hewascarefultolieonhisside。