“LANDinsight,”shoutedthemaninthebows.
Lucy,whohadbeentalkingtoRhinceonthepoop,camepatteringdowntheladderandracedforward.AsshewentshewasjoinedbyEdmund,andtheyfoundCaspian,DrinianandReepicheepalreadyontheforecastle.Itwasacoldishmorning,theskyverypaleandtheseaverydarkbluewithlittlewhitecapsoffoam,andthere,alittlewayoffonthestarboardbow,wasthenearestoftheLoneIslands,Felimath,likealowgreenhillinthesea,andbehindit,furtheroff,thegreyslopesofitssisterDoorn。
“SameoldFelimath!SameoldDoorn,”saidLucy,clappingherhands.“Oh-Edmund,howlongitissinceyouandIsawthemlast!”
“I’veneverunderstoodwhytheybelongtoNarnia,”saidCaspian.“DidPetertheHighKingconquerthem?”
“Ohno,”saidEdmund.“TheywereNarnianbeforeourtime—inthedaysoftheWhiteWitch.”
(Bytheway,IhaveneveryetheardhowtheseremoteislandsbecameattachedtothecrownofNarnia;ifIeverdo,andifthestoryisatallinteresting,Imayputitinsomeotherbook.)
“Arewetoputinhere,Sire?”askedDrinian.
“1shouldn’tthinkitwouldbemuchgoodlandingonFelimath,”saidEdmund.“Itwasalmostuninhabitedinourdaysanditlooksasifitwasthesamestill.ThepeoplelivedmostlyonDoornandalittleonAvra—that’sthethirdone;youcan’tseeityet.TheyonlykeptsheeponFelimath.”
“Thenwe’llhavetodoublethatcape,Isuppose,”saidDrinian,“andlandonDoorn.That’llmeanrowing.”
“I’msorrywe’renotlandingonFelimath,”saidLucy.“I’dliketowalkthereagain.Itwassolonely—anicekindofloneliness,andallgrassandcloverandsoftseaair.”
“I’dlovetostretchmylegstoo,”saidCaspian.“Itellyouwhat.Whyshouldn’twegoashoreintheboatandsenditback,andthenwecouldwalkacrossFelimathandlettheDawnTreaderpickusupontheotherside?”
IfCaspianhadbeenasexperiencedthenashebecamelateroninthisvoyagehewouldnothavemadethissuggestion;butatthemomentitseemedanexcellentone.“Ohdolet’s,”saidLucy。
“You’llcome,willyou?”saidCaspiantoEustace,whohadcomeondeckwithhishandbandaged.
“Anythingtogetoffthisblastedboat,”saidEustace.
“Blasted?”saidDrinian.“Howdoyoumean?”
“InacivilizedcountrylikewhereIcomefrom,”saidEustace,“theshipsaresobigthatwhenyou’reinsideyouwouldn’tknowyouwereatseaatall.”
“Inthatcaseyoumightjustaswellstayashore,”saidCaspian。“Willyoutellthemtolowertheboat,Drinian.”
TheKing,theMouse,thetwoPevensies,andEustaceallgotintotheboatandwerepulledtothebeachofFelimath.Whentheboathadleftthemandwasbeingrowedbacktheyallturnedandlookedround.TheyweresurprisedathowsmalltheDawnTreaderlooked.
Lucywasofcoursebarefoot,havingkickedoffhershoeswhileswimming,butthatisnohardshipifoneisgoingtowalkondownyturf.Itwasdelightfultobeashoreagainandtosmelltheearthandgrass,evenifatfirstthegroundseemedtobepitchingupanddownlikeaship,asitusuallydoesforawhileifonehasbeenatsea.ItwasmuchwarmerherethanithadbeenonboardandLucyfoundthesandpleasanttoherfeetastheycrossedit.Therewasalarksinging.
Theystruckinlandandupafairlysteep,thoughlow,hill.Atthetopofcoursetheylookedback,andtherewastheDawnTreadershininglikeagreatbrightinsectandcrawlingslowlynorth-westwardwithheroars.Thentheywentovertheridgeandcouldseehernolonger.
Doornnowlaybeforethem,dividedfromFelimathbyachannelaboutamilewide;behinditandtotheleftlayAvra.ThelittlewhitetownofNarrowhavenonDoornwaseasilyseen.
“Hullo!What’sthis?”saidEdmundsuddenly.
Inthegreenvalleytowhichtheyweredescendingsixorsevenrough-lookingmen,allarmed,weresittingbyatree.
“Don’ttellthemwhoweare,”saidCaspian.
“Andpray,yourMajesty,whynot?”saidReepicheepwhohadconsentedtorideonLucy’sshoulder.
“Itjustoccurredtome,”repliedCaspian,“thatnooneherecanhaveheardfromNarniaforalongtime.It’sjustpossibletheymaynotstillacknowledgeourover-lordship.InwhichcaseitmightnotbequitesafetobeknownastheKing.”
“Wehaveourswords,Sire,”saidReepicheep.
“Yes,Reep,Iknowwehave,”saidCaspian.“Butifitisaquestionofre-conqueringthethreeislands,I’dprefertocomebackwitharatherlargerarmy.”
Bythistimetheywerequiteclosetothestrangers,oneofwhom—abigblack-hairedfellow—shoutedout,“Agoodmorningtoyou.”