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answered the king。 〃it couldnt be better。 theres no trouble at all now between telmarines； dwarfs； talking beasts； fauns and the rest。 and we gave those troublesome giants on the frontier such a good beating last summer that they pay us tribute now。 and i had an excellent person to leave as regent while im away trumpkin； the dwarf。 you remember him？”
〃dear trumpkin；〃 said lucy； 〃of course i do。 you couldnt have made a better choice。”
〃loyal as a badger； maam； and valiant as … as a mouse；〃 said drinian。 he had been going to say 〃as a lion〃 but had noticed reepicheeps eyes fixed on him。
〃and where are we heading for？〃 asked edmund。
〃well；〃 said caspian； 〃thats rather a long story。 perhaps you remember that when i was a child my usurping uncle miraz got rid of seven friends of my fathers （who might have taken my part） by sending them off to explore the unknown ； eastern seas beyond the lone islands。”
〃yes；〃 said lucy； 〃and none of them ever came back。”
〃right。 well； on； my coronation day； with aslans approval； i swore an oath that； if once i established peace in narnia； i would sail east myself for a year and a day to find my fathers friends or to learn of their deaths and avenge them if i could。 these were their names … the lord revilian； the lord bern； the lord argoz； the lord mavramorn； the lord octesian； the lord restimar； and … oh； that other one whos so hard to remember。”
〃the lord rhoop； sire；〃 said drinian。
〃rhoop； rhoop； of course；〃 said caspian。 〃that is my main intention。 but reepicheep here has an even higher hope。〃 everyones eyes turned to the mouse。
〃as high as my spirit；〃 it said。 〃though perhaps as small as my stature。 why should we not e to the very eastern end of the world？ and what might we find there？ i expect to find aslans own country。 it is always from the east； across the sea； that the great lion es to us。”
〃i say； that is an idea；〃 said edmund in an awed voice。
〃but do you think；〃 said lucy； 〃aslans country would be that sort of country … i mean； the sort you could ever sail to？”
〃i do not know； madam；〃 said reepicheep。 〃but there is this。 when i was in my cradle； a wood woman； a dryad； spoke this verse over me： 〃where sky and water meet； where the waves grow sweet； doubt not； reepicheep； to find all you seek； there is the utter east。
〃i do not know what it means。 but the spell of it has been on me all my life。”
after a short silence lucy asked； 〃and where are we now； caspian？”
〃the captain can tell you better than i；〃 said caspian； so drinian got out his chart and spread it on the table。
〃thats our position；〃 he said； laying his finger on it。 〃or was at noon today。 we had a fair wind from cair paravel and stood a little north for galma； which we made on the next day。 we were in port for a week； for the duke of galma made a great tournament for his majesty and there he unhorsed many knights…”
〃and got a few nasty falls myself； drinian。 some of the bruises are there still；〃 put in caspian。
〃… and unhorsed many knights；〃 repeated drinian with a grin。 〃we thought the duke would have been pleased if the kings majesty would have married his daughter； but nothing came of that…”
〃squints； and has freckles；〃 said caspian。
〃oh； poor girl；〃 said lucy。
〃and we sailed from galma；〃 continued drinian； 〃and ran into a calm for the best part of two days and had to row； and then had wind again and did not make terebinthia till the fourth day from galma。 and there their king sent out a warning not to land for there was sickness in terebinthia； but we doubled the cape and put in at a little creek far from the city and watered。 then we had to lie off for three days before we got a south…east wind and stood out for seven isles。 the third day out a pirate （terebinthian by her rig）
overhauled us； but when she saw us well armed she stood off after some shooting of arrows on either part …”
〃and we ought to have given her chase and boarded her and hanged every mothers son of them；〃 said reepicheep。
〃… and in five days more we were insight of muil； which； as you know； is the westernmost of the seven isles。 then we rowed through the straits and came about sundown into redhaven on the isle of brenn； where we were very lovingly feasted and had victuals and water at will。 we left redhaven six days ago and have made marvellously good speed； so that i hope to see the lone islands the day after tomorrow。
the sum is； we are now nearly thirty days at sea and have sailed more than four hundred leagues from narnia。”
〃and after the lone islands？〃 said lucy。
〃no one knows； your majesty；〃 answered drinian。 〃unless the lone islanders themselves can tell us。”
〃they couldnt in our days；〃 said edmund。
〃then；〃 said reepicheep； 〃it is after the lone islands that the adventure really begins。”
caspian now suggested that they might like to be shown over the ship before supper； but lucys conscience smote her and she said； 〃i think i really must go and see eustace。
seasickness is horrid； you know。 if i had my old cordial with me i could cure him。”
〃but you have；〃 said caspian。 〃id quite forgotten about it。 as you left it behind i thought it might be regarded as one of the royal treasures and so i brought it … if you think it ought to be wasted on a thing like seasickness。”
〃itll only take a drop；〃 said lucy。
caspian opened one of the lockers beneath the bench and brought out the beautiful little diamond flask which lucy remembered so well。 〃take back your own； queen；〃 he said。
they then left the cabin and went out into the sunshine。
in the deck there were two large； long hatches； fore and aft of the mast； and both open； as they always were in fair weather； to let light and air into the belly of the ship。 caspian led them down a ladder into the after hatch。 here they found themselves in a place where benches for rowing ran from side to side and the light came in through the oarholes and danced on the roof。 of course caspians ship was not that horrible thing； a galley rowed by slaves。 oars were used only when wind failed or for getting in and out of harbour and everyone （excep