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o the fighting top； and at first it was rather alarming to rock to and fro there and see the deck looking small and far away beneath。 you realized that if you fell there was no particular reason why you should fall on board rather than in the sea。 then they were taken to the poop； where rhince was on duty with another man at the great tiller； and behind that the dragons tail rose up； covered with gilding； and round inside it ran a little bench。 the name of the ship was dawn treader。 she was only a little bit of a thing pared with one of our i ships； or even with the cogs； dromonds； carracks and galleons which narnia had owned when lucy and edmund had reigned there under peter as the high king； for nearly all navigation had died out in the reigns of caspians ancestors。
when his uncle； miraz the usurper； had sent the seven lords to sea； they had had to buy a galmian ship and man it with hired galmian sailors。 but now caspian had begun to teach the narnians to be sea…faring folk once more； and the dawn treader was the finest ship he had built yet。 she was so small that； forward of the mast； there was hardly any deck room between the central hatch and the ships boat on one side and the hen …coop （lucy fed the hens） on the other。 but she was a beauty of her kind； a 〃lady〃 as sailors say； her lines perfect； her colours pure； and every spar and rope and pin lovingly made。 eustace of course would be pleased with nothing； and kept on boasting about liners and motor…boats and aeroplanes and submarines （〃as if he knew anything about them；〃 muttered edmund）； but the other two were delighted with the dawn treader； and when they returned aft to the cabin and supper； and saw the whole western sky lit up with an immense crimson sunset； and felt the quiver of the ship； and tasted the salt on their lips； and thought of unknown lands on the eastern rim of the world； lucy felt that she was almost too happy to speak。
what eustace thought had best be told in his own words； for when they all got their clothes back； dried； next morning； he at once got out a little black notebook and a pencil and started to keep a diary。 he always had this notebook with him and kept a record of his marks in it； for though he didnt care much about any subject for its own sake； he
cared a great deal about marks and would even go to people and say； 〃i got so much。
what did you get？〃 but as he didnt seem likely to get many marks on the dawn treader he now started a diary。 this was the first entry。
〃7 august。 have now been twenty…four hours on this ghastly boat if it isnt a dream。 all the time a frightful storm has been raging （its a good thing im not seasick）。 huge waves keep ing in over the front and i have seen the boat nearly go under any number of times。 all the others pretend to take no notice of this； either from swank or because harold says one of the most cowardly things ordinary people do is to shut their eyes to facts。 its madness to e out into the sea in a rotten little thing like this。 not much bigger than a lifeboat。 and； of course； absolutely primitive indoors。 no proper saloon； no radio； no bathrooms； no deck…chairs。 i was dragged all over it yesterday evening and it would make anyone sick to hear caspian showing off his funny little toy boat as if it was the queen mary。 i tried to tell him what real ships are like； but hes too dense。 e。 and l。； o f course； didnt back me up。 i suppose a kid like l。 doesnt realize the danger and e。 is buttering up c。 as everyone does here。 they call him a king。 i said i was a republican but he had to ask me what that meant！ he doesnt seem to know anything at all。 needless to say ive been put in the worst cabin of the boat； a perfect dungeon； and lucy has been given a whole room on deck to herself； almost a nice room pared with the rest of this place。 c。 says thats because shes a girl。 i tried to make him see what alberta says； that all that sort of thing is really lowering girls but he was too dense。 still； he might see that i shall be ill if im kept in that hole any longer。 e。 says we mustnt grumble because c。 is sharing it with us himself to make room for l。 as if that didnt make it more crowded and far worse。 nearly forgot to say that there is also a kind of mouse thing that gives everyone the most frightful cheek。 the others can put up with it if they like but i shall twist his tail pretty soon if he tries it on me。 the food is frightful too。”
the trouble between eustace and reepicheep arrived even sooner than might have been expected。 before dinner next day； when the others were sitting round the table ； waiting （being at sea gives one a magnificent appetite）； eustace came rushing in； wringing his hand and shouting out： 〃that little brute has half killed me。 i insist on it being kept under control。 i could bring an action against you； caspian。 i could order you to have it destroyed。”
at the same moment reepicheep appeared。 his sword was drawn and his whiskers looked very fierce but he was as polite as ever。
〃i ask your pardons all；〃 he said； 〃and especially her majestys。 if i had known that he would take refuge here i would have awaited a more reasonable time for his correction。”
〃what on earths up？〃 asked edmund。
what had really happened was this。 reepicheep； who never felt that the ship was getting on fast enough； loved to sit on the bulwarks far forward just beside the dragons head； gazing out at the eastern horizon and singing softly in his little chirruping voice the song
the dryad had made for him。 he never held on to anything； however the ship pitched； and kept his balance with perfect ease； perhaps his long tail； hanging down to the deck inside the bulwarks； made this easier。 everyone on board was familiar with this habit； and the sailors liked it because when one was on look…out duty it gave one somebody to talk to。
why exactly eustace had slipped and reeled and stumbled all the way forward to the forecastle （he had not yet got his sea…legs） i never heard。 perhaps he hoped he would see land； or perhaps he wanted to hang about the galley and scrounge something。 anyway； as soon as he saw that long tail hanging down … and perhaps it was rather tempting … he thought it would be delightful to catch hold of it； swing reepicheep round by it once or twice upside…down； then run away and laugh； at first the plan seemed to work beautifully。 the mouse was not much heavier than a very large cat。 eustace had him off the rail in a trice and very silly he looked （thought eustace） with his little limbs all splayed out and his mouth open。 but unfortunately reepicheep； who had fought for his life many a time； never lost his head even for a moment。 nor his skill。 it is not very easy to draw ones sword when one is swinging round in the air by ones tail； but he did。 and the next thing eustace knew was two agonizing jabs in his hand which made him let go of the tail； and the next thing after that was that the mouse had picked itself up again as if it were a ball bouncing off the deck； and there it was facing him； and a horrid long； bright； sharp thing like a skewer was waving to and fro within an inch of his stomach。