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harged me not to carry it monly to the wars and to keep it only for great extremities！”
what had happened was this。 as soon as corin had spoken to shasta； corins elbow had been plucked by a dwarf in the army called thornbut。
〃what is it； thornbut？〃 corin had said。
〃your royal highness；〃 said thornbut； drawing him aside； 〃our march today will bring us through the pass and right to your royal fathers castle。 we may be in battle before night。”
〃i know；〃 said corin。 〃isnt it splendid！”
〃splendid or not；〃 said thornbut； 〃i have the strictest orders from king edmund to see to it that your highness is not in the fight。 you will be allowed to see it； and thats treat enough for your highnesss little years。”
〃oh what nonsense！〃 corin burst out。 〃of course im going to fight。 why； the queen lucys going to be with the archers。”
〃the queens grace will do as she pleases；〃 said thornbut。 〃but you are in my charge。
either i must have your solemn and princely word that youll keep your pony beside mine … not half a neck ahead … till i give your highness leave to depart： or else … it is his majestys word … we must go with our wrists tied together like two prisoners。”
〃ill knock you down if you try to bind me；〃 said corm。
〃id like to see your highness do it；〃 said the dwarf。
that was quite enough for a boy like corin and in a second he and the dwarf were at it hammer and tongs。 it would have been an even match for； though corin had longer arms and more height； the dwarf was older and tougher。 but it was never fought out （thats the worst of fights on a rough hillside） for by very bad luck thornbut trod on a loose stone； came flat down on his nose； and found when he tried to get up that he had sprained his ankle： a real excruciating sprain which would keep him from walking or riding for at least a fortnight。
〃see what your highness has done；〃 said king edmund。 〃deprived us of a proved warrior on the very edge of battle。”
〃ill take his place； sire；〃 said corin。
〃pshaw；〃 said edmund。 〃no one doubts your courage。 but a boy in battle is a danger only to his own side。”
at that moment the king was called away to attend to something else； and corin； after apologizing handsomely to the dwarf； rushed up to shasta and whispered； 〃quick。 theres a spare pony now； and the dwarfs armour。 put it on before anyone notices。”
〃what for？〃 said shasta。
〃why； so that you and i can fight in the battle of course！ dont you want to？”
〃oh … ah； yes； of course；〃 said shasta。 but he hadnt been thinking of doing so at all； and began to get a most unfortable prickly feeling in his spine。
〃thats right；〃 said corin。 〃over your head。 now the sword…belt。 but we must ride near the tail of the column and keep as quiet as mice。 once the battle begins everyone will be far too busy to notice us。”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
小说
the fight at anvard by about eleven oclock the whole pany was once more on the march； riding westward with the mountains on their left。 corin and shasta rode right at the rear with the giants immediately in front of them。 lucy and edmund and peridan were busy with their plans for the battle and though lucy once said； 〃but where is his goosecap highness？”
edmund only replied； 〃not in the front； and thats good news enough。 leave well alone。”
shasta told corin most of his adventures and explained that he had learned all his riding from a horse and didnt really know how to use the reins。 corin instructed him in this； besides telling him all about their secret sailing from tashbaan。
〃and where is the queen susan？”
〃at cair paravel；〃 said corin。 〃shes not like lucy； you know； whos as good as a man； or at any rate as good as a boy。 queen susan is more like an ordinary grown…up lady。 she doesnt ride to the wars； though she is an excellent archer。”
the hillside path which they were following became narrower all the time and the drop on their right hand became steeper。 at last they were going in single file along the edge of a precipice and shasta shuddered to think that he had done the same last night without knowing it。 〃but of course；〃 he thought； 〃i was quite safe。 that is why the lion kept on my left。 he was between me and the edge all the time。”
then the path went left and south away from the cliff and there were thick woods on both sides of it and they went steeply up and up into the pass。 there would have been a splendid view from the top if it were open ground but among all those trees you could see nothing … only； every now and then； some huge pinnacle of rock above the tree…tops； and an eagle or two wheeling high up in the blue air。
〃they smell battle；〃 said corin； pointing at the birds。 〃they know were preparing a feed for them。”
shasta didnt like this at all。
when they had crossed the neck of the pass and e a good deal lower they reached more open ground and from here shasta could see all archenland； blue and hazy； spread
out below him and even （he thought） a hint of the desert beyond it。 but the sun； which had perhaps two hours or so to go before it set； was in his eyes and he couldnt make things out distinctly。
here the army halted and spread out in a line； and there was a great deal of rearranging。 a whole detachment of very dangerous…looking talking beasts whom shasta had not noticed before and who were mostly of the cat kind （leopards； panthers； and the like）
went padding and growling to take up their positions on the left。 the giants were ordered to the right； and before going there they all took off something they had been carrying on their backs and sat down for a moment。 then shasta saw that what they had been carrying and were now putting on were pairs of boots： horrid； heavy； spiked boots which came up to their knees。 then they sloped their huge clubs over their shoulders and marched to their battle position。 the archers； with queen lucy； fell to the rear and you could first see them bending their bows and then hear the twangtwang as they tested the strings。 and wherever you looked you could see people tightening girths； putting on helmets； drawing swords； and throwing cloa