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ut the quickest stroke that had ever been heard at sea。 for it had taken everyone just that halfminute to remember certain dreams they had had … dreams that make you afraid of going to sleep again … and to realize what it would mean to land on a country where dreams e true。
only reepicheep remained unmoved。
〃your majesty； your majesty；〃 he said； 〃are you going to tolerate this mutiny； this poltroonery？ this is a panic； this is a rout。”
〃row； row；〃 bellowed caspian。 〃pull for all our lives。 is her head right； drinian？ you can say what you like； reepicheep。 there are some things no man can face。”
〃it is； then； my good fortune not to be a man；〃 replied reepicheep with a very stiff bow。
lucy from up aloft had heard it all。 in an instant that one of her own dreams which she had tried hardest to forget came back to her as vividly as if she had only just woken from it。 so that was what was behind them； on the island； in the darkness！ for a second she wanted to go down to the deck and be with edmund and caspian。 but what was the use？
if dreams began ing true； edmund and caspian themselves might turn into something horrible just as she reached them。 she gripped the rail of the fighting top and tried to steady herself。 they were rowing back to the light as hard as they could： it would be all right in a few seconds。 but oh； if only it could be all right now！
though the rowing made a good deal of noise it did not quite conceal the total silence which surrounded the ship。
everyone knew it would be better not to listen； not to strain his ears for any sound from the darkness。 but no one could help listening。 and soon everyone was hearing things。
each one heard something different。
〃do you hear a noise like 。 。 。 like a huge pair of scissors opening and shutting 。。 。 over there？〃 eustace asked rynelf。
〃hush！〃 said rynelf。 〃i can hear them crawling up the sides of the ship。”
〃its just going to settle on the mast；〃 said caspian。
〃ugh！〃 said a sailor。 〃there are the gongs beginning。 i knew they would。”
caspian； trying not to look at anything （especially not to keep looking behind him）； went aft to drinian。
〃drinian；〃 he said in a very low voice。 〃how long did we take rowing in？ … i mean rowing to where we picked up 。 the stranger。”
〃five minutes； perhaps；〃 whispered drinian。 〃why？”
〃because weve been more than that already trying to get out。”
drinians hand shook on the tiller and a line of cold sweat ran down his face。 the same idea was occurring to everyone on board。 〃we shall never get out； never get out；”
moaned the rowers。 〃hes steering us wrong。 were going round and round in circles。 we shall never get out。〃 the stranger； who had been lying in a huddled heap on the deck； sat up and burst out into a horrible screaming laugh。
〃never get out！〃 he yelled。 〃thats it。 of course。 we shall never get out。 what a fool i was to have thought they would let me go as easily as that。 no； no； we shall never get out。”
lucy leant her head on the edge of the fighting top and whispered； 〃aslan； aslan； if ever you loved us at all； send us help now。〃 the darkness did not grow any less； but she began to feel a little … a very； very little … better。 〃after all； nothing has really happened to us yet；〃 she thought。
〃look！〃 cried rynelfs voice hoarsely from the bows。 there was a tiny speck of light ahead； and while they watched a broad beam of light fell from it upon the ship。 it did not alter the surrounding darkness； but the whole ship was lit up as if by searchlight。 caspian blinked； stared round； saw the faces of his panions all with wild； fixed expressions。
everyone was staring in the same direction： behind everyone lay his black； sharply…edged shadow。
lucy looked along the beam and presently saw something in it。 at first it looked like a cross； then it looked like an aeroplane； then it looked like a kite； and at last with a whirring of wings it was right overhead and was an albatross。 it circled three times round the mast and then perched for an instant on the crest of the gilded dragon at the prow。 it called out in a strong sweet voice what seemed to be words though no one understood them。 after that it spread its wings； rose； and began to fly slowly ahead； bearing a little to starboard。 drinian steered after it not doubting that it offered good guidance。 but no one except lucy knew that as it circled the mast it had whispered to her； 〃courage； dear heart；〃 and the voice； she felt sure； was aslans； and with the voice a delicious smell breathed in her face。
in a few moments the darkness turned into a greyness ahead； and then； almost before they dared to begin hoping； they had shot out into the sunlight and were in the warm； blue world again。 and all at once everybody realized that there was nothing to be afraid of and
never had been。 they blinked their eyes and looked about them。 the brightness of the ship herself astonished them： they had half expected to find that the darkness would cling to the white and the green and the gold in the form of some grime or scum。 and then first one； and then another； began laughing。
〃i reckon weve made pretty good fools of ourselves；〃 said rynelf。
lucy lost no time in ing down to the deck； where she found the others all gathered round the newer。 for a long time he was too happy to speak； and could only gaze at the sea and the sun and feel the bulwarks and the ropes； as if to make sure he was really awake； while tears rolled down his cheeks。
〃thank you；〃 he said at last。 〃you have saved me from 。 。 。 but i wont talk of that。 and now let me know who you are。 i am a telmarine of narnia； and when i was worth anything men called me the lord rhoop。”
〃and i；〃 said caspian； 〃am caspian； king of narnia； and i sail to find you and your panions who were my fathers friends。”
lord rhoop fell on his knees and kissed the kings hand。 〃sire；〃 he said； 〃you are the man in all the world i most wished to see。 grant me a boon。”
〃what is it？〃 asked caspian。
〃never to bring me back there；〃 he said。 he pointed astern。 they all looked。 but they saw only bright blue sea and bright blue