re was a second of struggling and shouting； and just as they thought they had got their balance a great blue roller surged up round them； swept them off their feet； and drew them down into the sea。 eustaces despairing cry suddenly ended as the water got into his mouth。
lucy thanked her stars that she had worked hard at her swimming last summer term。 it is true that she would have got on much better if she had used a slower stroke； and also that the water felt a great deal colder than it had looked while it was only a picture。 still； she kept her head and kicked her shoes off； as everyone ought to do who falls into deep water in their clothes。 she even kept her mouth shut and her eyes open。 they were still quite near the ship； she saw its green side towering high above them； and people looking at her from the deck。 then； as one might have expected； eustace clutched at her in a panic and down they both went。
when they came up again she saw a white figure diving off the ships side。 edmund was close beside her now； treading water； and had caught the arms of the howling eustace。
then someone else； whose face was vaguely familiar； slipped an arm under her from the other side。 there was a lot of shouting going on from the ship； heads crowding together above the bulwarks； ropes being thrown。 edmund and the stranger were fastening ropes round her。 after that followed what seemed a very long delay during which her face got blue and her teeth began chattering。 in reality the delay was not very long； they were waiting till the moment when she could be got on board the ship without being dashed against its side。 even with all their best endeavours she had a bruised knee when she finally stood； dripping and shivering； on the deck。 after her edmund was heaved up； and then the miserable eustace。 last of all came the stranger … a golden…headed boy some years older than herself。
〃ca … ca … caspian！〃 gasped lucy as soon as she had breath enough。 for caspian it was； caspian； the boy king of narnia whom they had helped to set on the throne during their last visit。 immediately edmund recognized him too。 all three shook hands and clapped one another on the back with great delight。
〃but who is your friend？〃 said caspian almost at once； turning to eustace with his cheerful smile。 but eustace was crying much harder than any boy of his age has a right to cry when nothing worse than a wetting has happened to him； and would only yell out； 〃let me go。 let me go back。 i dont like it。”
〃let you go？〃 said caspian。 〃but where？”
eustace rushed to the ships side； as if he expected to see the picture frame hanging above the sea； and perhaps a glimpse of lucys bedroom。 what he saw was blue waves flecked with foam； and paler blue sky； both spreading without a break to the horizon。 perhaps we can hardly blame him if his heart sank。 he was promptly sick。
〃hey！ rynelf；〃 said caspian to one of the sailors。 〃bring spiced wine for their majesties。
youll need something to warm you after that dip。〃 he called edmund and lucy their majesties because they and peter and susan had all been kings and queens of narnia long before his time。 narnian time flows differently from ours。 if you spent a hundred years in narnia； you would still e back to our world at the very same hour of the very same day on which you left。 and then； if you went back to narnia after spending a week here； you might find that a thousand narnian years had passed； or only a day； or no time at all。 you never know till you get there。 consequently； when the pevensie children had returned to narnia last time for their second visit； it was （for the narnians） as if king arthur came back to britain； as some people say he will。 and i say the sooner the better。
rynelf returned with the spiced wine steaming in a flagon and four silver cups。 it was just what one wanted； and as lucy and edmund sipped it they could feel the warmth going right down to their toes。 but eustace made faces and spluttered and spat it out and was sick again and began to cry again and asked if they hadnt any plumptrees vitaminized nerve food and could it be made with distilled water and anyway he insisted on being put ashore at the next station。
〃this is a merry shipmate youve brought us； brother；〃 whispered caspian to edmund with a chuckle； but before he could say anything more eustace burst out again。
〃oh！ ugh！ what on earths that！ take it away； the horrid thing。〃 。
he really had some excuse this time for feeling a little surprised。 something very curious indeed had e out of the cabin in the poop and was slowly approaching them。 you might call it … and indeed it was … a mouse。 but then it was a mouse on its hind legs and stood about two feet high。 a thin band of gold passed round its head under one ear and over the other and in this was stuck a long crimson feather。 （as the mouses fur was very dark； almost black； the effect was bold and striking。） its left paw rested on the hilt of a sword very nearly as long as its tail。 its balance； as it paced gravely along the swaying deck； was perfect； and its manners courtly。 lucy and edmund recognized it at once reepicheep； the most valiant of all the talking beasts of narnia； and the chief mouse。 it had won undying glory in the second battle of beruna。 lucy longed； as she had always
done； to take reepicheep up in her arms and cuddle him。 but this； as she well knew； was a pleasure she could never have： it would have offended him deeply。 instead； she went down on one knee to talk to him。
reepicheep put forward his left leg； drew back his right； bowed； kissed her hand； straightened himself； twirled his whiskers； and said in his shrill； piping voice： 〃my humble duty to your majesty。 and to king edmund； too。〃 （here he bowed again。）
〃nothing except your majesties presence was lacking to this glorious venture。”
〃ugh； take it away；〃 wailed eustace。 〃i hate mice。 and i never could bear performing animals。 theyre silly and vulgar and…and sentimental。”
〃am i to understand；〃 said reepicheep to lucy after a long stare at eustace； 〃that this singularly discourteous person is under your majestys protection？ because； if not…”
at this moment lucy and edmund both sneezed。
〃what a fool i am to keep you all standing here in your wet things；〃 said caspian。 〃e on below and get changed。 ill give you my cabin of course； lucy； but im afraid we have no womens clothes on board。 youll have to make do with some of mine。 lead the way； reepicheep； like a good fellow。”
〃to the convenience of a lady；〃 said reepicheep； 〃even a question of honour must give way … at least for the moment …〃 and here he looked very hard at eustace。 but caspian hustled them on and in a few minutes lucy found herself passing through the door into the stern cabin。 she fell in love with it at once … the three square windows that looked out on the blue； swirling water astern； the low cushioned benches round three sides of the table； the swinging silver lamp overhead （dwarfs work； she knew at once by its exquisite delicacy） and the flat gold image of aslan the lion on the forward wall above the door。
all this she took in in a flash； for caspian immediately opened a door on the starboard side； and said； 〃thisll be your room； lucy。 ill just get some dry things for myself…〃 he was rummaging in one of the lockers while he spoke … 〃and then leave you to change。 if youll fling your wet things outside the door ill get them taken to the galley to be dried。”
lucy found herself as much at home as if she had been in caspians cabin for weeks； and the motion of the ship did not worry her； for in the old days when she had been a queen in narnia she had done a good deal of voyaging。 the cabin was very tiny but bright with painted panels （all birds and beasts and crimson dragons and vines） and spotlessly clean。
caspians clothes were too big for her； but she could manage。 his shoes； sandals and sea…boots were hopelessly big but she did not mind going barefoot on board ship。 when she had finished dressing she looked out of her window at the water rushing past and took a long deep breath。 she felt quite sure they were in for a lovely time。
．。
CHAPTER TWO
/小。说＋
on board the dawn treader 〃ah； there you are； lucy；〃 said caspian。 〃we were just waiting for you。 this is my captain； the lord drinian。”
a dark…haired man went down on one knee and kissed her hand。 the only others present were reepicheep and edmund。
〃where is eustace？〃 asked lucy。
〃in bed；〃 said edmund； 〃and i dont think we can do anything for him。 it only makes him worse if you try to be nice to him。”
〃meanwhile；〃 said caspian； 〃we want to talk。”
〃by jove； we do；〃 said edmund。 〃and first； about time。 its a year ago by our time since we left you just before your coronation。 how long has it been in narnia？”
〃exactly three years；〃 said caspian。
〃all going well？〃 asked edmund。
〃you dont suppose id have left my kingdom and put to sea unless all was well；”
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 g