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though there was not a breath of wind they all stirred about her。 the rustling noise of the leaves was almost like words。 the nightingale stopped singing as if to listen to it。
lucy felt that at any moment she would begin to understand what the trees were trying to say。 but the moment did not e。 the rustling died away。 the nightingale resumed its song。 even in the moonlight the wood looked more ordinary again。 yet lucy had the feeling （as you sometimes have when you are trying to remember a name or a date and almost get it； but it vanishes before you really do） that she had just missed something： as if she had spoken to the trees a split second too soon or a split second too late； or used all the right words except one； or put in one word that was just wrong。
quite suddenly she began to feel tired。 she went back to the bivouac； snuggled down between susan and peter； and was asleep in a few minutes。
it was a cold and cheerless waking for them all next morning； with a grey twilight in the wood （for the sun had not yet risen） and everything damp and dirty。
〃apples； heigh…ho；〃 said trumpkin with a rueful grin。 〃i must say you ancient kings and queens dont overfeed your courtiers！鈥�
they stood up and shook themselves and looked about。 the trees were thick and they could see no more than a few yards in any direction。
〃i suppose your majesties know the way all right？〃 said the dwarf。
〃i dont；〃 said susan。 〃ive never seen these woods in my life before。 in fact i thought all along that we ought to have gone by the river。鈥�
〃then i think you might have said so at the time；〃 answered peter； with pardonable sharpness。
〃oh； dont take any notice of her；〃 said edmund。 〃she always is a wet blanket。 youve got that pocket pass of yours； peter； havent you？ well； then； were as right as rain。 weve
only got to keep on going north…west … cross that little river； the what… do…you…call…it？ … the rush …鈥�
〃i know；〃 said peter。 〃the one that joins the big river at the fords of beruna； or berunas bridge； as the d。l。f。 calls it。鈥�
〃thats right。 cross it and strike uphill； and well be at the stone table （aslans how； i mean） by eight or nine oclock。 i hope king caspian will give us a good breakfast！鈥�
〃i hope youre right；〃 said susan。 〃i cant remember all that at all。鈥�
〃thats the worst of girls；〃 said edmund to peter and the dwarf。 〃they never carry a map in their heads。鈥�
〃thats because our heads have something inside them；〃 said lucy。
at first things seemed to be going pretty well。 they even …thought they had struck an old path； but if you know anything about woods； you will know that one is always finding imaginary paths。 they disappear after about five minutes and then you think you have found another （and hope it is not another but more of the same one） and it also disappears； and after you have been well lured out of your right direction you realize that none of them were pats at all。 the boys and the dwarf； however； were used to woods and were not taken in for more than a few seconds。
they had plodded on for about half an hour （three of them very stiff from yesterdays rowing） when trumpkin suddenly whispered； 〃stop。〃 they all stopped。 〃theres something following us；〃 he said in a low voice。 〃or rather； something keeping up with us： over there on the left。〃 they all stood still； listening and staring till their ears and eyes ached。 〃you and id better each have an arrow on the string；〃 said susan to trumpkin。
the dwarf nodded； and when both bows were ready for action the party went on again。
they went a few dozen yards through fairly open woodland； keeping a sharp look…out。
then they came to a place where the undergrowth thickened and they had to pass nearer to it。 just as they were passing the place； there came a sudden something that snarled and flashed； rising out from the breaking twigs like a thunderbolt。 lucy was knocked down and winded； hearing the twang of a bowstring as she fell。 when she was able to take notice of things again； she saw a great grim…looking grey bear lying dead with trumpkins arrow in its side。
〃the d。l。f。 beat you in that shooting match； su；〃 said #peter； with a slightly forced smile。 even he had been shaken by this adventure。
〃i … i left it too late；〃 said susan； in an embarrassed voice。 〃i was so afraid it might be； you know … one of our kind of bears； a talking bear。〃 she hated killing things。
〃thats the trouble of it；〃 said trumpkin； 〃when most of the beasts have gone enemy and gone dumb； but there are still some of the other kind left。 you never know； and you darent wait to see。鈥�
〃poor old bruin；〃 said susan。 〃you dont think he was？鈥�
〃not he；〃 said the dwarf。 〃i saw the face and i heard the snarl。 he only wanted little girl for his breakfast。 and talking of breakfast； i didnt want to discourage your majesties when you said you hoped king caspian would give you a good one： but meats precious scarce in camp。 and theres good eating on a bear。 it would be a shame to leave the carcass without taking a bit； and it wont delay us more than half an hour。 i dare say you two youngsters … kings； i should say … know how to skin a bear？鈥�
〃lets go and sit down a fair way off；〃 said susan to lucy。 〃i know what a horrid messy business that will be。〃 lucy shuddered and nodded。 when they had sat down she said： 〃such a horrible idea has e into my head； su。 鈥�
〃whats that？鈥�
〃wouldnt it be dreadful if some day； in our own world； at home； men started going wild inside； like the animals here； and still looked like men； so that youd never know which were which？鈥�
〃weve got enough to bother about here and now in narnia；〃 said the practical susan； 〃without imagining things like that。鈥�
when they rejoined the boys and the dwarf； as much as they thought they could carry of the best meat had been cut off。 raw meat is not a nice thing to fill ones pockets with； but they folded it up in fresh leaves and made the best of it。 they were all experienced enough to know that they would feel quite differently about these squashy and unpleasant parcels when they had walked long enough to be re