fall of a dream was ever heard。 let him sit beside these other three and drink oblivion till you return。”
〃oh； do lets do that； caspian；〃 said lucy。 〃im sure its just what he would love。”
at that moment they were interrupted by the sound of many feet and voices： drinian and the rest of the ship pany were approaching。 they halted in surprise whey they saw ramandu and his daughter； and then； because these were obviously great people； every man uncovered his head。 some sailors eyed the empty dishes and flagons on the table with regret。
〃my lord；〃 said the king to drinian； 〃pray send two men back to the dawn treader with a message to the lord rhoop。 tell him that the last of his old shipmates are here asleep … a sleep without dreams … and that he can share it。”
when this had been done； caspian told the rest to sit down and laid the whole situation before them。 when he had finished there was a long silence and some whispering until presently the master bowman got to his feet； and said： 〃what some of us have been wanting to ask for a long time； your majesty； is how were ever to get home when we do turn； whether we turn here or somewhere else。 its been west and north…west winds all the way； barring an occasional calm。 and if that doesnt change； id like to know what hopes we have of seeing narnia again。 theres not much chance of supplies lasting while we row all that way。
〃thats landsmans talk；〃 said drinian。 〃theres always a prevailing west wind in these seas all through the late summer； and it always changes after the new year。 well have plenty of wind for sailing westward； more than we shall like from all accounts。”
〃thats true； master；〃 said an old sailor who was a galmian by birth。 〃you get some ugly weather rolling up from the east in january and february。 and by your leave； sire； if i was in mand of this ship id say to winter here and begin the voyage home in march。”
〃whatd you eat while you were wintering here？〃 asked eustace。
〃this table；〃 said ramandu； 〃will be filled with a kings feast every day at sunset。”
〃now youre talking！〃 said several sailors。
〃your majesties and gentlemen and ladies all；〃 said rynelf； 〃theres just one thing i want to say。 theres not one of us chaps as was pressed on this journey。 were volunteers。 and theres some here chat are looking very hard at that table and thinking about kings feasts who were talking very loud about adventures on the day we sailed from cair paravel； and swearing they wouldnt e home till wed found the end of the world。 and there were some standing on the quay who would have given all they had to e with us。 it was thought a finer thing then to have a cabin…boys berth on the dawn treader than to wear a knights belt。 i dont know if you get the hang of what im saying。 but what i mean is that i think chaps who set out like us will look as silly as … as those dufflepuds … if we e home and say we got to the beginning of the worlds end and hadnt the heart to go further。”
some of the sailors cheered at this but some said that that was all very well。
〃this isnt going to be much fun；〃 whispered edmund to caspian。 〃what are we to do if half those fellows hang back？”
〃wait；〃 caspian whispered back。 〃ive still a card to play。”
〃arent you going to say anything； reep？〃 whispered lucy。
〃no。 why should your majesty expect it？〃 answered reepicheep in a voice that most people heard。 〃my owns plans are made。 while i can； i sail east in the dawn treader。
when she fails me； i paddle east in my coracle。 when she sinks； i shall swim east with my four paws。 and when i can swim no longer； if i have not reached aslans country； or shot over the edge of the world in some vast cataract； i shall sink with my nose to the sunrise and peepiceek will be head of the talking mice in narnia。”
〃hear； hear；〃 said a sailor； 〃ill say the same； barring the bit about the coracle； which wouldnt bear me。〃 he added in a lower voice； 〃im not going to be outdone by a mouse。”
at this point caspian jumped to his feet。 〃friends；〃 he said； 〃i think you have not quite understood our purpose。 you talk as if we had e to you with our hat in our hand； begging for shipmates。 it isnt like that at all。 we and our royal brother and sister and their kinsman and sir reepicheep； the good knight； and the lord drinian have an errand to the worlds edge。 it is our pleasure to choose from among such of you as are willing those whom we deem worthy of so high an enterprise。 we have not said that any can e for the asking。 that is why we shall now mand the lord drinian and master rhince to consider carefully what men among you are the hardest in battle； the most skilled seamen； the purest in blood； the most loyal to our person； and the cleanest of life and manners； and to give their names to us in a schedule。〃 he paused and went on in a quicker voice； 〃aslans mane！〃 he exclaimed。 〃do you think that the privilege of seeing the last things is to be bought for a song？ why； every man that es with us shall bequeath the title of dawn treader to all his descendants； and when we land at cair paravel on the homeward voyage he shall have either gold or land enough to make him rich all his life。 now … scatter over the island； all of you。 in half an hours time i shall receive the names that lord drinian brings me。”
there was rather a sheepish silence and then the crew made their bows and moved away； one in this direction and one in that； but mostly in little knots or bunches； talking。
〃and now for the lord rhoop；〃 said caspian。
but turning to the head of the table he saw that rhoop was already there。 he had arrived； silent and unnoticed； while the discussion was going on； and was seated beside the lord argoz。 the daughter of ramandu stood beside him as if she had just helped him into his chair； ramandu stood behind him and laid both his hands on rhoops grey head。 even in daylight a faint silver light came from the hands of the star。 there was a smile on rhoops haggard face。 he held out one of his hands to lucy and the other to caspian。 for a moment it looked as if he were going to say something。 then his smile brightened as if he were feeling） some delicious sensation； a long sigh of contentment came from his lips； his head fell forward； and he slept。
〃poor rhoop；〃 said lucy。 〃i am glad。 he must have had terrible times。〃 〃dont lets even think of it；〃 said eustace。
meanwhile caspians speech； helped perhaps by some magic of the island； was having just the effect he intended。 a good many who had been anxious enough to get out of the voyage felt quite differently about being left out of it。 and of course whenever any one sailor announced that he had made up his mind to ask for permission to sail； the ones who hadnt said this felt that they were getting fewer and more unfortable。 so that before the half…hour was nearly over several people were positively 〃sucking up〃 to drinian and rhince （at least that was what they called it at my school） to get a good report。 and soon there were only three left who didnt want to go； and those three were trying very hard to persuade others to stay with them。 and very shortly after that there was only one left。
and in they end he began to be afraid of being left behind all on his own and changed his mind。
at the end of the half…hour they all came trooping back to aslans table and stood at one end while drinian and rhince went and sat down with caspian and made their report； and caspian accepted all the man but that one whod had changed his mind at the last moment。 his name was pittencream and he stayed on the island of the star all the time the others were away looking for the worlds end； and he very much wished he had gone with them。 he wasnt the sort of man who could enjoy talking to ramandu and ramandus daughter （nor they to him）； and it rained a good deal； and though there was a wonderful feast on the table every night； he didnt very much enjoy it。 he said it gave him the creeps sitting there alone （and in the rain as likely as not） with those four lords asleep at the end of the table。 and when the others returned he felt so out of things that he deserted on the voyage home at the lone islands； and went and lived in calormen； where he told wonderful stories about his adventures at the end of the world； until at last he came to believe them himself。 so you may say； in a sense； that he lived happily ever after。 but he could never bear mice。
that night they all ate and drank together at the great table between the pillars where the feast was magically renewed： and next morning the dawn treader set sail once more just when the great birds had e and gone again。
〃lady；〃 said caspian； 〃i hope to speak with you again when i have broken the enchantments。〃 and ramandus daughter looked at him and smiled。
d
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
［。小＾说）网）
the wonders of the last sea very soon after they had left ramandus country they began to feel that they had already sailed beyond the world。 all was different。 for one thing they all found that they were needing less sleep。 one did not want to go to bed。 nor to eat much； nor even to talk except in low voices。 another