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〃but； peter；〃 said lucy； 〃look here。 i know i cant swim for nuts at home … in england； i mean。 but couldnt we all swim long ago … if it was long ago … when we were kings and queens in narnia？ we could ride then too； and do all sorts of things。 dont you think …？鈥�
〃ah； but we were sort of grown…up then；〃 said peter。
〃we reigned for years and years and learned to do things。 arent we just back at our proper ages again now？鈥�
〃oh！〃 said edmund in a voice which made everyone stop talking and listen to him。
〃ive just seen it all；〃 he said。
〃seen what？〃 asked peter。
〃why； the whole thing；〃 said edmund。 〃you know what we were puzzling about last night； that it was only a year ago since we left narnia but everything looks as if no one had lived in cair paravel for hundreds of years？ well； dont you see？ you know that； however long we seemed to have lived in narnia； when we got back through the wardrobe it seemed to have taken no time at all？鈥�
〃go on；〃 said susan。 〃i think im beginning to understand。鈥�
〃and that means；〃 continued edmund； 〃that； once youre out of narnia； you have no idea how narnian time is going。 why shouldnt hundreds of years have gone past in narnia while only one year has passed for us in england？鈥�
〃by jove； ed；〃 said peter。 〃i believe youve got it。 in that sense it really was hundreds of years ago that we lived in cair paravel。 and now were ing back to narnia just as if we were crusaders or anglo…saxons or ancient britons or someone ing back to modern england？鈥�
〃how excited theyll be to see us …〃 began lucy； but at the same moment everyone else said； 〃hush！〃 or 〃look！〃 for now something was happening。
there was a wooded point on the mainland a little to their right； and they all felt sure that just beyond that point must be the mouth of the river。 and now； round that point there came into sight a boat。 when it had cleared the point； it turned and began ing along the channel towards them。 there were two people on board； one rowing； the other sitting in the stern and holding a bundle that twitched and moved as if it were alive。 both these people seemed to be soldiers。 they had steel caps on their heads and light shirts of chain…mail。 their faces were bearded and hard。 the children drew back from the beach into the wood and watched without moving a finger。
〃thisll do；〃 said the soldier in the stern when the boat had e about opposite to them。
〃what about tying a stone to his feet； corporal？〃 said the other； resting on his oars。
〃garn！〃 growled the other。 〃we dont need that； and we havent brought one。 hell drown sure enough without a stone； as long as weve tied the cords right。〃 with these words he rose and lifted his bundle。 peter now saw that it was really alive and was in fact a dwarf； bound hand and foot but struggling as hard as he could。 next moment he heard a twang just beside his ear； and all at once the soldier threw up his arms； dropping the dwarf into the bottom of the boat； and fell over into the water。 he floundered away to the far bank and peter knew that susans arrow had struck on his helmet。 he turned and saw that she was very pale but was already fitting a second arrow to the string。 but it was never used。
as soon as he saw his panion fall； the other soldier； with a loud cry； jumped out of the boat on the far side； and lie also floundered through the water （which was apparently just in his depth） and disappeared into the woods of the mainland。
〃quick！ before she drifts！〃 shouted peter。 he and susan； fully dressed as they were； plunged in； and before the water was up to their shoulders their hands were on the side of the boat。 in a few seconds they had hauled her to the bank and lifted the dwarf out； and edmund was busily engaged in cutting his bonds with the pocket knife。 （peters sword would have been sharper； but a sword is very inconvenient for this sort of work because you cant hold it anywhere lower than the hilt。） when at last the dwarf was free； he sat up； rubbed his arms and legs； and exclaimed： 〃well； whatever they say； you dont feel like ghosts。鈥�
like most dwarfs he was very stocky and deep…chested。 he would have been about three feet high if he had been standing up； and an immense beard and whiskers of coarse red hair left little of his face to be seen except a beak…like nose and twinkling black eyes。
〃anyway；〃 he continued； 〃ghosts or not； youve saved my life and im extremely obliged to you。鈥�
〃but why should we be ghosts？〃 asked lucy。
〃ive been told all my life；〃 said the dwarf； 〃that these woods along the shore were as full of ghosts as they were of trees。 thats what the story is。 and thats why； when they want to get rid of anyone； they usually bring him down here （like they were doing with me）
and say theyll leave him to the ghosts。 but i always wondered if they didnt really drown em or cut their throats。 i never quite believed in the ghosts。 but those two cowards youve just shot believed all right。 they were more frightened of taking me to my death than i was of going！鈥�
〃oh；〃 said susan。 〃so thats why they both ran away。鈥�
〃eh？ whats that？〃 said the dwarf。
〃they got away；〃 said edmund。 〃to the mainland。鈥�
〃i wasnt shooting to kill； you know；〃 said susan。 she would not have liked anyone to think she could miss at such a short range。
〃hm；〃 said the dwarf。 〃thats not so good。 that may mean trouble later on。 unless they hold their tongues for their own sake。鈥�
〃what were they going to drown you for？〃 asked peter。
〃oh； im a dangerous criminal； i am；〃 said the dwarf cheerfully。 〃but thats a long story。
meantime； i was wondering if perhaps you were going to ask me to breakfast？ youve no idea what an appetite it gives one； being executed。〃 〃theres only apples；〃 said lucy dolefully。
〃better than nothing； but not so good as fresh fish；〃 said the dwarf。 〃it looks as if ill have to ask you to breakfast instead。 i saw some fishing tackle in that boat。 and anyway； we must take her round to the other side of the island。 we dont want anyone from the mainland ing down and seeing her。鈥�
〃i ought to have thought of that myself；〃 said peter