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The_Complete_Chronicles_of_Narnia_(volumes_1-7,_in_order_of_publication)

The_Complete_Chronicles_of_Narnia_(volumes_1-7,_in_order_of_publication)

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"<strong>The</strong>y're right, Dr<strong>in</strong>ian," said Caspian. "Why don't you br<strong>in</strong>g her head round and make<br />

for the western stream?"<br />

"As your Majesty pleases," said Dr<strong>in</strong>ian a little shortly. He had had an anxious day with<br />

the weather yesterday, and he didn't like advice from landsmen. But he altered course;<br />

and it turned out afterwards that it was a good th<strong>in</strong>g he did.<br />

By the time they had f<strong>in</strong>ished water<strong>in</strong>g, the ra<strong>in</strong> was over and Caspian, with Eustace, the<br />

Pevensies, and Reepicheep, decided to walk up to the top <strong>of</strong> the hill and see what could<br />

be seen. It was a stiffish climb through coarse grass and heather and they saw neither man<br />

nor beast, except seagulls. When they reached the top they saw that it was a very small<br />

island, not more than twenty acres; and from this height the sea looked larger and more<br />

desolate than it did from the deck, or even the fight<strong>in</strong>g top, <strong>of</strong> the Dawn Treader.<br />

"Crazy, you know," said Eustace to Lucy <strong>in</strong> a low voice, look<strong>in</strong>g at the eastern horizon.<br />

"Sail<strong>in</strong>g on and on <strong>in</strong>to that with no idea what we may get to." But he only said it out <strong>of</strong><br />

habit, not really nastily as he would have done at one time.<br />

It was too cold to stay long on the ridge for the w<strong>in</strong>d still blew freshly from the north.<br />

"Don't let's go back the same way," said Lucy as they turned; "let's go along a bit and<br />

come down by the other stream, the one Dr<strong>in</strong>ian wanted to go to."<br />

Everyone agreed to this and after about fifteen m<strong>in</strong>utes they were at the source <strong>of</strong> the<br />

second river. It was a more <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g place than they had expected; a deep little<br />

mounta<strong>in</strong> lake, surrounded by cliffs except for a narrow channel on the seaward side out<br />

<strong>of</strong> which the water flowed. Here at last they were out <strong>of</strong> the w<strong>in</strong>d, and all sat down <strong>in</strong> the<br />

heather above the cliff for a rest.<br />

All sat down, but one (it was Edmund) jumped up aga<strong>in</strong> very quickly.<br />

"<strong>The</strong>y go <strong>in</strong> for sharp stones on this island," he said, grop<strong>in</strong>g about <strong>in</strong> the heather. "Where<br />

is the wretched th<strong>in</strong>g? . . . Ah, now I've got it . . . Hullo! It wasn't a stone at all, it's a<br />

sword-hilt. No, by jove, it's a whole sword; what the rust has left <strong>of</strong> it. It must have la<strong>in</strong><br />

here for ages."<br />

"<strong>Narnia</strong>n, too, by the look <strong>of</strong> it," said Caspian, as they all crowded round.<br />

"I'm sitt<strong>in</strong>g on someth<strong>in</strong>g too," said Lucy. "Someth<strong>in</strong>g hard." It turned out to be the<br />

rema<strong>in</strong>s <strong>of</strong> a mail-shirt. By this time everyone was on hands and knees, feel<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the<br />

thick heather <strong>in</strong> every direction. <strong>The</strong>ir search revealed, one by one, a helmet, a dagger,<br />

and a few co<strong>in</strong>s; not Calormen crescents but genu<strong>in</strong>e <strong>Narnia</strong>n "Lions" and "Trees" such<br />

as you might see any day <strong>in</strong> the market-place <strong>of</strong> Beaversdam or Beruna.<br />

"Looks as if this might be all that's left <strong>of</strong> one <strong>of</strong> our seven lords," said Edmund.

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