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presently； however； two more practical people arrived in the little wood。 one was a red dwarf whose name appeared to be duffle。 the other was a stag； a beautiful lordly creature with wide liquid eyes； dappled flanks and legs so thin and graceful that they looked as if you could break them with two fingers。
〃lion alive！〃 roared the dwarf as soon as he had heard the news。 〃and if thats so； why are we all standing still； chattering？ enemies at anvard！ news must be sent to cair paravel at once。 the army must be called out。 narnia must go to the aid of king lune。鈥�
〃ah！〃 said the hedgehog。 〃but you wont find the high king at the cair。 hes away to the north trouncing those giants。 and talking of giants； neighbours； that puts me in mind …鈥�
〃wholl take our message？〃 interrupted the dwarf。 〃anyone here got more speed than me？鈥�
〃ive got speed；〃 said the stag。 〃whats my message？ how many calormenes？鈥�
〃two hundred： under prince rsh。 and …〃 but the stag was already away … all four legs off the ground at once； and in a moment its white stern had disappeared among the remoter trees。
〃wonder where hes going；〃 said a rabbit。 〃he wont find the high king at cair paravel； you know。鈥�
〃hell find queen lucy；〃 said duffle。 〃and then hullo！ whats wrong with the human？ it looks pretty green。 why； i do believe its quite faint。 perhaps its mortal hungry。 when did you last have a meal； youngster？鈥�
〃yesterday morning；〃 said shasta weakly。
〃e on； then； e on；〃 said the dwarf； at once throwing his thick little arms round shastas waist to support him。 〃why； neighbours； we ought all to be ashamed of ourselves！ you e with me； lad。 breakfast！ better than talking。鈥�
with a great deal of bustle； muttering reproaches to itself； the dwarf half led and half supported shasta at a great speed further into the wood and a little downhill。 it was a longer walk than shasta wanted at that moment and his legs had begun to feel very shaky before they came out from the trees on to bare hillside。 there they found a little house with a smoking chimney and an open door； and as they came to the doorway duffle called out； 〃hey； brothers！ a visitor for breakfast。鈥�
and immediately； mixed with a sizzling sound； there came to shasta a simply delightful smell。 it was one he had never smelled in his life before； but i hope you have。 it was； in fact； the smell of bacon and eggs and mushrooms all frying in a pan。
〃mind your head； lad；〃 said duffle a moment too late； for shasta had already bashed his forehead against the low lintel of the door。 〃now；〃 continued the dwarf； 〃sit you down。
the tables a bit low for you； but then the stools low too。 thats right。 and heres porridge … and heres a jug of cream … and heres a spoon。鈥�
by the time shasta had finished his porridge； the dwarfs two brothers （whose names were rogin and bricklethumb） were putting the dish of bacon and eggs and mushrooms； and the coffee pot and the hot milk； and the toast； on the table。
it was all new and wonderful to shasta for calormene food is quite different。 he didnt even know what the slices of brown stuff were； for he had never seen toast before。 he didnt know what the yellow soft thing they smeared on the toast was； because in calormen you nearly always get oil instead of butter。 and the house itself was quite different from the dark； frowsty； fish…smelling but of arsheesh and from the pillared and carpeted halls in the palaces of tashbaan。 the roof was very low； and everything was made of wood； and there was a cuckoo…clock and a red…and…white checked table…cloth and a bowl of wild flowers and little curtains on the thick…paned windows。 it was also rather troublesome having to use dwarf cups and plates and knives and forks。 this meant that helpings were very small； but then there were a great many helpings； so that shastas plate or cup was being filled every moment； and every moment the dwarfs themselves were saying； 〃butter please〃； or 〃another cup of coffee；〃 or 〃id like a few more mushrooms；〃 or 〃what about frying another egg or so？〃 and when at last they had all eaten as much as they possibly could the three dwarfs drew lots for who would do the washing…up； and rogin was the unlucky one。 then duffle and bricklethumb took shasta outside to a bench which ran against the cottage wall； and they all stretched out their legs and gave a great sigh of contentment and the two dwarfs lit their pipes。 the dew was off the grass now and the sun was warm； indeed； if there hadnt been a light breeze； it would have been too hot。
〃now； stranger；〃 said duffle； 〃ill show you the lie of the land。 you can see nearly all south narnia from here； and were rather proud of the view。 right away on your left；
beyond those near hills； you can just see the western mountains。 and that round hill away on your right is called the hill of the stone table。 just beyond …鈥�
but at that moment he was interrupted by a snore from shasta who； what with his nights journey and his excellent breakfast； had gone fast asleep。 the kindly dwarfs； as soon as they noticed this； began making signs to each other not to wake him； and indeed did so much whispering and nodding and getting up and …tiptoeing away that they certainly would have waked him if he had been less tired。
he slept pretty well …nearly all day but woke up in time for supper。 the beds in that house were all too small for him but they made him a fine bed of heather on the floor； and he never stirred nor dreamed all night。 next morning they had just finished breakfast when they heard a shrill； exciting sound from outside。
〃trumpets！〃 said all the dwarfs； as they and shasta all came running out。
the trumpets sounded again： a new noise to shasta； not huge and solemn like the horns of tashbaan nor gay and merry like king lunes hunting horn； but clear and sharp and valiant。 the noise was ing from the woods to the east； and soon there was a noise of horse…hoofs mixed with it。 a moment later the head of the column came into sight。
first came the lord peridan on a bay horse carrying the great banner of narnia … a red lion on a green ground。 shasta knew him at once。 then came three people riding abreast； two on great chargers and one on a pony。 the two on the chargers were king edmund and a fair…haired lady with a very merry face who wore a helmet and a mail shirt and carried a bow across her shoulder and a quiver full of arrows at her side。 （〃the queen lucy；〃 whispered duffle。） but the one on the pony was corin。 after that came the main body of the army： men on ordinary horses； men on talking horses （who didnt mind being ridden on proper occasions； as when narnia went to war）； centaurs； stern； hard…bitten bears； great talking dogs； and last of all six giants。 for there are good giants in narnia。 but though he knew they were on the right side shasta at first could hardly bear to look at them； there are some things that take a lot of getting used to。
just as the king and queen reached the cottage and the dwarfs began making low bows to them； king edmund called out； 〃now； friends！ time for a halt and a morsel！〃 and at once there was a great bustle of peo