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taly swished out with his tail。 and all that anyone had seen would be something like this … the dots are for the bits he had smudged out i wnet to sl ee 。 。 。 rgos agrons i mean drangons
cave cause it…was dead and awing so har 。 。 。 woke up and cou 。 。 。
get offf mi arm oh bother 。 。 。
it was； however； clear to everyone that eustaces character had been rather improved by being a dragon。 he was anxious to help。 he flew over the whole island and found it was all mountainous and inhabited only by wild goats and droves of wild swine。 of these he brought back many carcasses as provisions for the ship。 he was a very humane killer too； for he could dispatch a beast with one blow of his tail so that it didnt know （and presumably still doesnt know） it had been killed。 he ate a few himself； of course； but always alone； for now that he was a dragon he liked his food raw but he could never bear to let others see him at his messy meals。 and one day； flying slowly and wearily but in great triumph； he bore back to camp a great tall pine tree which he had torn up by the roots in a distant valley and which could be made into a capital mast。 and in the evening if it turned chilly； as it sometimes did after the heavy rains； he was a fort to everyone； for the whole party would e and sit with their backs against his hot sides and get well warmed and dried； and one puff of his fiery breath would light the most obstinate fire。
sometimes he would take a select party for a fly on his back； so that they could see wheeling below them the green slopes； the rocky heights； the narrow pit… like valleys and far out over the sea to the eastward a spot of darker blue on the blue horizon which might be land。
the pleasure （quite new to him） of being liked and； still more； of liking other people； was what kept eustace from despair。 for it was very dreary being a dragon。 he shuddered whenever he caught sight of his own reflection as he flew over a mountain lake。 he hated the huge batlike wings； the saw…edged ridge on his back； and the cruel； curved claws。 he was almost afraid to be alone with himself and yet he was ashamed to be with the others。
on the evenings when he was not being used as a hot…water bottle he would slink away from the camp and lie curled up like a snake between the wood and the water。 on such occasions； greatly to his surprise； reepicheep was his most constant forter。 the noble mouse would creep away from the merry circle at the camp fire and sit down by the dragons head； well to the windward to be out of the way of his smoky breath。 there he would explain that what had happened to eustace was a striking illustration of the turn of fortunes wheel； and that if he had eustace at his own house in narnia （it was really a hole not a house and the dragons head； let alone his body； would not have fitted in） he could show him more than a hundred examples of emperors； kings； dukes； knights； poets； lovers； astronomers； philosophers； and magicians； who had fallen from prosperity into the most distressing circumstances； and of whom many had recovered and lived happily ever afterwards。 it did not； perhaps； seem so very forting at the time； but it was kindly meant and eustace never forgot it。
but of course what hung over everyone like a cloud was the problem of what to do with their dragon when they were ready to sail。 they tried not to talk of it when he was there； but he couldnt help overhearing things like； 〃would he fit all along one side of the deck？
and wed have to shift all the stores to the other side down below so as to balance；〃 or； 〃would towing him be any good？〃 or 〃would he be able to keep up by flying？〃 and （most often of all）； 〃but how are we to feed him？〃 and poor eustace realized more and
more that since the first day he came on board he had been an unmitigated nuisance and that he was now a greater nuisance still。 and this ate into his mind； just as that bracelet ate into his foreleg。 he knew that it only made it worse to tear at it with his great teeth； but he couldnt help tearing now and then； especially on hot nights。
about six days after they had landed on dragon island； edmund happened to wake up very early one morning。 it was just getting grey so that you could see the tree…trunks if they were between you and the bay but not in the other direction。 as he woke he thought he heard something moving； so he raised himself on one elbow and looked about him： and presently he thought he saw a dark figure moving on the seaward side of the wood。
the idea that at once occurred to his mind was； 〃are we so sure there are no natives on this island after all？〃 then he thought it was caspian … it was about the right size … but he knew that caspian had been sleeping next to him and could see that he hadnt moved。
edmund made sure that his sword was in its place and then rose to investigate。
he came down softly to the edge of the wood and the dark figure was still there。 he saw now that it was too small for caspian and too big for lucy。 it did not run away。 edmund drew his sword and was about to challenge the stranger when the stranger said in a low voice； 〃is that you； edmund？”
〃yes。 who are you？〃 said he。
〃dont you know me？〃 said the other。 〃its me eustace。”
〃by jove；〃 said edmund； 〃so it is。 my dear chap …”
〃hush；〃 said eustace and lurched as if he were going to fall。
〃hello！〃 said edmund； steadying him。 〃whats up？ are you ill？”
eustace was silent for so long that edmund thought he was fainting； but at last he said； 〃its been ghastly。 you dont know 。 。 。 but its all right now。 could we go and talk somewhere？ i dont want to meet the others just yet。”
〃yes； rather； anywhere you like；〃 said edmund。 〃we can go and sit on the rocks over there。 i say； i am glad to see you … er … looking yourself again。 you must have had a pretty beastly time。”
they went to the rocks and sat down looking out across the bay while the sky got paler and paler and the stars disappeared except for one very bright one low down and near the horizon。
〃i wont tell you how i became a … a dragon till i can tell the others and get it all over；”