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slices of brown stuff were； for he had never seen toast before。 he didnt know what the yellow soft thing they smeared on the toast was； because in calormen you nearly always get oil instead of butter。 and the house itself was quite different from the dark； frowsty； fish…smelling but of arsheesh and from the pillared and carpeted halls in the palaces of tashbaan。 the roof was very low； and everything was made of wood； and there was a cuckoo…clock and a red…and…white checked table…cloth and a bowl of wild flowers and little curtains on the thick…paned windows。 it was also rather troublesome having to use dwarf cups and plates and knives and forks。 this meant that helpings were very small； but then there were a great many helpings； so that shastas plate or cup was being filled every moment； and every moment the dwarfs themselves were saying； 〃butter please〃； or 〃another cup of coffee；〃 or 〃id like a few more mushrooms；〃 or 〃what about frying another egg or so？〃 and when at last they had all eaten as much as they possibly could the three dwarfs drew lots for who would do the washing…up； and rogin was the unlucky one。 then duffle and bricklethumb took shasta outside to a bench which ran against the cottage wall； and they all stretched out their legs and gave a great sigh of contentment and the two dwarfs lit their pipes。 the dew was off the grass now and the sun was warm； indeed； if there hadnt been a light breeze； it would have been too hot。
〃now； stranger；〃 said duffle； 〃ill show you the lie of the land。 you can see nearly all south narnia from here； and were rather proud of the view。 right away on your left；
beyond those near hills； you can just see the western mountains。 and that round hill away on your right is called the hill of the stone table。 just beyond …”
but at that moment he was interrupted by a snore from shasta who； what with his nights journey and his excellent breakfast； had gone fast asleep。 the kindly dwarfs； as soon as they noticed this； began making signs to each other not to wake him； and indeed did so much whispering and nodding and getting up and …tiptoeing away that they certainly would have waked him if he had been less tired。
he slept pretty well …nearly all day but woke up in time for supper。 the beds in that house were all too small for him but they made him a fine bed of heather on the floor； and he never stirred nor dreamed all night。 next morning they had just finished breakfast when they heard a shrill； exciting sound from outside。
〃trumpets！〃 said all the dwarfs； as they and shasta all came running out。
the trumpets sounded again： a new noise to shasta； not huge and solemn like the horns of tashbaan nor gay and merry like king lunes hunting horn； but clear and sharp and valiant。 the noise was ing from the woods to the east； and soon there was a noise of horse…hoofs mixed with it。 a moment later the head of the column came into sight。
first came the lord peridan on a bay horse carrying the great banner of narnia … a red lion on a green ground。 shasta knew him at once。 then came three people riding abreast； two on great chargers and one on a pony。 the two on the chargers were king edmund and a fair…haired lady with a very merry face who wore a helmet and a mail shirt and carried a bow across her shoulder and a quiver full of arrows at her side。 （〃the queen lucy；〃 whispered duffle。） but the one on the pony was corin。 after that came the main body of the army： men on ordinary horses； men on talking horses （who didnt mind being ridden on proper occasions； as when narnia went to war）； centaurs； stern； hard…bitten bears； great talking dogs； and last of all six giants。 for there are good giants in narnia。 but though he knew they were on the right side shasta at first could hardly bear to look at them； there are some things that take a lot of getting used to。
just as the king and queen reached the cottage and the dwarfs began making low bows to them； king edmund called out； 〃now； friends！ time for a halt and a morsel！〃 and at once there was a great bustle of people dismounting and haversacks being opened and conversation beginning when corm came running up to shasta and seized both his hands and cried； 〃what！ you here！ so you got through all right？ i am glad。 now we shall have some sport。
and isnt it luck！ we only got into harbour at cair paravel yesterday morning and the very first person who met us was chervy the stag with all this news of an attack on anvard。 dont you think …”
〃who is your highnesss friend？〃 said king edmund who had just got off his horse。
〃dont you see； sire？〃 said corin。 〃its my double： the boy you mistook me for at tashbaan。”
〃why； so he is your double；〃 exclaimed queen lucy。 〃as like as two twins。 this is a marvellous thing。”
〃please； your majesty；〃 said shasta to king edmund； 〃i was no traitor； really i wasnt。
and i couldnt help hearing your plans。 but id never have dreamed of telling them to your enemies。”
〃i know now that you were no traitor； boy；〃 said king edmund； laying his hand on shastas head。 〃but if you would not be taken for one； another time try not to hear whats meant for other ears。 but alls well。”
after that there was so much bustle and talk and ing and going that shasta for a few minutes lost sight of corin and edmund and lucy。 but corin was the sort of boy whom one is sure to hear of pretty soon and it wasnt very long before shasta heard king edmund saying in a loud voice： 〃by the lions mane； prince； this is too much！ will your highness never be better？ you are more of a hearts…scald than our whole army together！ id as lief have a regiment of hornets in my mand as you。”
shasta wormed his way through the crowd and there saw edmund； looking very angry indeed； corin looking a little ashamed of himself； and a strange dwarf sitting on the ground making faces。 a couple of fauns had apparently just been helping it out of its armour。
〃if i had but my cordial with me；〃 queen lucy was saying； 〃i could soon mend this。 but the high king has so strictly charged me not to carry it monly to the wars and to keep it only for great extremities！”
what ha