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caspian thanked him； though neither he nor the others much liked the look of their new acquaintance； and all of them sat down。 but hardly had they raised their cups to their lips when the black…haired man nodded to his panions and； as quick as lightning； all the five visitors found themselves wrapped in strong arms。 there was a moments struggle but all the advantages were on one side； and soon everyone was disarmed and had their hands tied behind their backs except reepicheep； writhing in his captors grip and biting furiously。
〃careful with that beast； tacks；〃 said the leader。 〃dont damage him。 hell fetch the best price of the lot； i shouldnt wonder。”
〃coward！ poltroon！〃 squeaked reepicheep。 〃give me my sword and free my paws if you dare。”
〃whew！〃 whistled the slave merchant （for that is what he was）。 〃it can talk！ well i never did。 blowed if i take less than two hundred crescents for him。〃 the calormen crescent； which is the chief coin in those parts； is worth about a third of a pound。
〃so thats what you are；〃 said caspian。 〃a kidnapper and slaver。 i hope youre proud of it。”
〃now； now； now； now；〃 said the slaver。 〃dont you start any jaw。 the easier you take it； the pleasanter all round； see？ i dont do this for fun。 ive got my living to make same as anyone else。”
〃where will you take us？〃 asked lucy； getting the words out with some difficulty。
〃over to narrowhaven；〃 said the slaver。 〃for market day tomorrow。”
〃is there a british consul there？〃 asked eustace。
〃is there a which？〃 said the man。
but long before eustace was tired of trying to explain； the slaver simply said； 〃well； ive had enough of this jabber。 the mouse is a fair treat but this one would talk the hind leg off a donkey。 off we go； mates。”
then the four human prisoners were roped together； not cruelly but securely； and made to march down to the shore。 reepicheep was carried。 he had stopped biting on a threat of having his mouth tied up； but he had a great deal to say； and lucy really wondered how any man could bear to have the things said to him which were said to the slave dealer by the mouse。 but the slave dealer； far from objecting； only said 〃go on〃 whenever reepicheep paused for breath； occasionally adding； 〃its as good as a play；〃 or； 〃blimey； you cant help almost thinking it knows what its saying！〃 or 〃was it one of you what trained it？〃 this so infuriated reepicheep that in the end the number of things he thought of saying all at once nearly suffocated him and he became silent。
when they got down to the shore that looked towards doorn they found a little village and a long…boat on the beach and； lying a little further out； a dirty bedraggled looking ship。
〃now； youngsters；〃 said the slave dealer； 〃lets have no fuss and then youll have nothing to cry about。 all aboard。”
at that moment a fine…looking bearded man came out of one of the houses （an inn； i think） and said： 〃well； pug。 more of your usual wares？”
the slaver； whose name seemed to be pug； bowed very low； and said in a wheedling kind of voice； 〃yes； please your lordship。”
〃how much do you want for that boy？〃 asked the other； pointing to caspian。
〃ah；〃 said pug； 〃i knew your lordship would pick on the best。 no deceiving your lordship with anything second rate。 that boy； now； ive taken a fancy to him myself。 got kind of fond of him； i have。 im that tender…hearted i didnt ever ought to have taken up this job。 still； to a customer like your lordship…”
〃tell me your price； carrion；〃 said the lord sternly。 〃do you think i want to listen to the rigmarole of your filthy trade？”
〃three hundred crescents； my lord to your honourable lordship； but to anyone else …”
〃ill give you a hundred and fifty。”
〃oh please； please；〃 broke in lucy。 〃dont separate us； whatever you do。 you dont know …〃 but then she stopped for she saw that caspian didnt even now want to be known。
〃a hundred and fifty； then；〃 said the lord。 〃as for you； little maiden； i am sorry i cannot buy you all。 unrope my boy； pug。 and look … treat these others well while they are in your hands or itll be the worse for you。”
〃well！〃 said pug。 〃now who ever heard of a gentleman in my way of business who treated his stock better than what i do？ well？ why； i treat em like my own childen。”
〃thats likely enough to be true；〃 said the other grimly。
the dreadful moment had now e。 caspian was untied and his new master said； 〃this way； lad；〃 and lucy burst into tears and edmund looked very blank。 but caspian looked over his shoulder and said； 〃cheer up。 im sure it will e all right in the end。 so long。”
〃now； missie；〃 said pug。 〃dont you start taking on and spoiling your looks for the market tomorrow。 you be a good girl and then you wont have nothing to cry about； see？”
then they were rowed out to the slave…ship and taken below into a long； rather dark place； none too clean； where they found many other unfortunate prisoners； for pug was of course a pirate and had just returned from cruising among the islands and capturing what he could。 the children didnt meet anyone whom they knew； the prisoners were mostly galmians and terebinthians。 and there they sat in the straw and wondered what was happening to caspian and tried to stop eustace talking as if everyone except himself was to blame。
meanwhile caspian was having a much more interesting time。 the man who had bought him led him down a little lane between two of the village houses and so out into an open place behind the village。 then he turned and faced him。
〃you neednt be afraid of me； boy；〃 he said。 〃ill treat you well。 i bought you for your face。 you reminded me of someone。〃 〃may i ask of whom； my lord？〃 said caspian。
〃you remind me of my master； king caspian of narnia。”
then caspian decided to risk everything on one stroke。
〃my lord；〃 he said； 〃i am your master。 i am caspian king of narnia。”
〃you make very free；〃 said the other。 〃how shall i know this is true？”
〃firstly by my face；〃 said caspian。 〃secondly because i know within six guesses who you are。 you are one of those seven lords of narnia whom my uncle miraz sent to sea and whom