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〃We all ran as hard as we could；〃 said Hwin。
〃Shasta didn't！〃 snorted Bree。 〃At least he ran in the right direction： ran back。 And that is what shames me most of all。 I； who called myself a war…horse and boasted of a hundred fights； to be beaten by a little human boy…a child； a mere foal； who had never held a sword nor had any good nurture or example in his life！〃
〃I know；〃 said Aravis。 〃I felt just the same。 Shasta was marvellous。 I'm just as bad as you； Bree。 I've been snubbing him and looking down on him ever since you met us and now he turns out to be the best of us all。 But I think it would be better to stay and say we're sorry than to go back to Calormen。〃
〃It's all very well for you；〃 said Bree。 〃You haven't disgraced yourself。 But I've lost everything。〃
〃My good Horse；〃 said the Hermit； who had approached them unnoticed because his bare feet made so little noise on that sweet； dewy grass。 〃My good Horse； you've lost nothing but your self…conceit。 No； no； cousin。 Don't put back your ears and shake your mane at me。 If you are really so humbled as you sounded a minute ago； you must learn to listen to sense。 You're not quite the great Horse you had e to think； from living among poor dumb horses。 Of course you were braver and cleverer than them。 You could hardly help being that。 It doesn't follow that you'll be anyone very special in Narnia。 But as long as you know you're nobody special； you'll be a very decent sort of Horse； on the whole； and taking one thing with another。 And now； if you and my other four…footed cousin will e round to the kitchen door we'll see about the other half of that mash。〃
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THE UNWELE FELLOW TRAVELLER
WHEN Shasta went through the gate he found a slope of grass and a little heather running up before him to some trees。 He had nothing to think about now and no plans to make： he had only to run； and that was quite enough。 His limbs were shaking； a terrible stitch was beginning in his side； and the sweat that kept dropping into his eyes blinded them and made them smart。 He was unsteady on his feet too； and more than once he nearly turned his ankle on a loose stone。
The trees were thicker now than they had yet been and in the more open spaces there was bracken。 The sun had gone in without making it any cooler。 It had bee one of those hot； grey days when there seem to be twice as many flies as usual。 Shasta's face was covered with them； he didn't even try to shake them off…he had too much else to do。
Suddenly he heard a horn…not a great throbbing horn like the horns of Tashbaan but a merry call； Ti…ro…to…to…ho！ Next moment he came out into a wide glade and found himself in a crowd of people。
At least； it looked a crowd to him。 In reality there were about fifteen or twenty of them； all gentlemen in green huntingdress； with their horses； some in the saddle and some standing by their horses' heads。 In the centre someone was holding the stirrup for a man to mount。 And the man he was holding it for was the jolliest； fat； applecheeked； twinkling eyed King you could imagine。
As soon as Shasta came in sight this King forgot all about mounting his horse。 He spread out his arms to Shasta； his face lit up； and he cried out in a great； deep voice that seemed to e from the bottom of his chest：
〃Corin！ My son！ And on foot； and in rags！ What…〃
〃No；〃 panted Shasta； shaking his head。 〃Not Prince Corin。 I…I…know I'm like him。。。 saw his Highness in Tashbaan。。。 sent his greetings。〃
The King was staring at Shasta with an extraordinary expression on his face。
〃Are you K…King Lune？〃 gasped Shasta。 And then； without waiting for an answer； 〃Lord King…fly…Anvard shut the gates…enemies upon you…Rsh and two hundred horse。〃
〃Have you assurance of this； boy？〃 asked one of the other gentlemen。
〃My own eyes；〃 said Shasta。 〃I've seen them。 Raced them all the way from Tashbaan。〃
〃On foot？〃 said the gentleman； raising his eyebrows a little。
Horses…with the Hermit；〃 said Shasta。
〃Question him no more； Darrin；〃 said King Lune。 〃I see truth in his face。 We must ride for it； gentlemen。 A spare horse there； for the boy。 You can ride fast； friend？〃
For answer Shasta put his foot in the stirrup of the horse which had been led towards him and a moment later he was in the saddle。 He had done it a hundred times with Bree in the last few weeks； and his mounting was very different now from what it had been on that first night when Bree had said that he climbed up a horse as if he were climbing a haystack。
He was pleased to hear the Lord Darrin say to the King； 〃The boy has a true horseman's seat； Sire。 I'll warrant there's noble blood in him。〃
〃His blood； aye； there's the point；〃 said the King。 And he stared hard at Shasta again with that curious expression； almost a hungry expression； in his steady； grey eyes。
But by now…the whole party was moving off at a brisk canter。 Shasta's seat was excellent but he was sadly puzzled what to do with his reins； for he had never touched the reins while he was on Bree's back。 But he looked very carefully out of the corners of his eyes to see what the others were doing （as some of us have done at parties when we weren't quite sure which knife or fork we were meant to use） and tried to get his fingers right。 But he didn't dare to try really directing the horse； he trusted it would follow the rest。 The horse was of course an ordinary horse； not a Talking Horse； but it had quite wits enough to realize that the strange boy on its back had no whip and no spurs and was not really master of the situation。 That was why Shasta soon found himself at the tail end of the procession。
Even so； he was going pretty fast。 There were no flies now and the air in his face was delicious。 He had got his breath back too。 And his errand had succeeded。 For the first time since the arrival at Tashbaan （how long ago it seemed！） he was beginning to enjoy himself。
He looked up to see how much nearer the mountain tops had e。 To his disappointment he could not see them at all： only a vague greyness； rolling down towards them。 He had never been in mountain country before and was surprised。 〃It's a cloud；〃 he said to himself； 〃a cloud ing down。 I see。 Up here in the hills one is really in the sky。 I shall see what the inside of a cloud is like。 What fun！ I've often wondered。〃 Far away on his left and a little behind him； the sun was getting ready to set。
They had e to a rough kind of road by now and were making very good speed。 But Shasta's horse was still the last of the lot。 Once or twice when the road made a bend （there was now continuous forest on each side of it） he lost sight of the others for a second or two。
Then they plunged into the fog； or else the fog rolled over them。 The world became grey。 Shasta had not realized how cold and wet the inside of a cloud would be； nor how dark。 The grey turned to black with alarming speed。
Someone at the head of the column winded the horn every now and th