d empty as if it were an uninhabited land； but before them there were level lawns in which the grass was as smooth and short as it used to be in the grounds of a great english house where ten gardeners were kept。 the trees； of which there were many； all stood well apart from one another； and there were no broken branches and no leaves lying on the ground。 pigeons sometimes cooed but there was no other noise。
presently they came to a long； straight； sanded path with not a weed growing on it and trees on either hand。 far off at the other end of this avenue they now caught sight of a house … very long and grey and quiet…looking in the afternoon sun。
almost as soon as they entered this path lucy noticed that she had a little stone in her shoe。 in that unknown place it might have been wiser for her to ask the others to wait while she took it out。 but she didnt； she just dropped quietly behind and sat down to take off her shoe。 her lace had got into a knot。
before she had undone the knot the others were a fair distance ahead。 by the time she had got the stone out and was putting the shoe on again she could no longer hear them。 but almost at once she heard something else。 it was not ing from the direction of the house。
what she heard was a thumping。 it sounded as if dozens of strong workmen were hitting the ground as hard as they could with great wooden mallets。 and it was very quickly ing nearer。 she was already sitting with her back to a tree； and as the tree was not one she could climb； there was really nothing to do but to sit dead still and press herself against the tree and hope she wouldnt be seen。
thump； thump； thump 。 。 。 and whatever it was must be very close now for she could feel the ground shaking。 but she could see nothing。 she thought the thing … or things must be just behind her。 but then there came a thump on the path right in front of her。 she knew it was on the path not only by the sound but because she saw the sand scatter as if it had been struck a heavy blow。 but she could see nothing that had struck it。 then all the thumping noises drew together about twenty feet away from her and suddenly ceased。
then came the voice。
it was really very dreadful because she could still see nobody at all。 the whole of that park…like country still looked as quiet and empty as it had looked when they first landed。
nevertheless； only a few feet away from her； a voice spoke。 and what it said was： 〃mates； nows our chance。”
instantly a whole chorus of other voices replied； 〃hear him。 hear him。 ‘now s our chance； he said。 well done； chief。 you never said a truer word。”
〃what i say；〃 continued the first voice； 〃is； get down to the shore between them and their boat； and let every mothers son look to his weapons。 catch em when they try to put to sea。”
〃eh； thats the way；〃 shouted all the other voices。 〃you never made a better plan； chief。
keep it up； chief。 you couldnt have a better plan than that。”
〃lively； then； mates； lively；〃 said the first voice。 〃off we go。
〃right again； chief；〃 said the others。 〃couldnt have a better order。 just what we were going to say ourselves。 off we go。”
immediately the thumping began again … very loud at first but soon fainter and fainter； till it died out in the direction of the sea。
lucy knew there was no time to sit puzzling as to what these invisible creatures might be。
as soon as the thumping noise had died away she got up and ran along the path after the others as quickly as her legs would carry her。 they must at all costs be warned。
while this had been happening the others had reached the house。 it was a low building … only two stories high made of a beautiful mellow stone； many…windowed； and partially covered with ivy。 everything was so still that eustace said； 〃i think its empty；〃 but caspian silently pointed to the column of smoke which rose from one chimney。
they found a wide gateway open and passed through it into a paved courtyard。 and it was here that they had their first indication that there was something odd about this island。 in the middle of the courtyard stood a pump； and beneath the pump a bucket。
there was nothing odd about that。 but the pump handle was moving up and down； though there seemed to be no one moving it。
〃theres some magic at work here；〃 said caspian。
〃machinery！〃 said eustace。 〃i do believe weve e to a civilized country at last。”
at that moment lucy； hot and breathless； rushed into the courtyard behind them。 in a low voice she tried to make them understand what she had overheard。 and when they had partly understood it even the bravest of them did not look very happy。
〃invisible enemies；〃 muttered caspian。 〃and cutting us off from the boat。 this is an ugly furrow to plough。”
〃youve no idea what sort of creatures they are； lu？〃 asked edmund。
〃how can i； ed； when i couldnt see them？”
〃did they sound like humans from their footsteps？”
〃i didnt hear any noise of feet … only voices and this frightful thudding and thumping … like a mallet。”
〃i wonder；〃 said reepicheep； 〃do they bee visible when you drive a sword into them？”
〃it looks as if we shall find out；〃 said caspian。 〃but lets get out of this gateway。 theres one of these gentry at that pump listening to all we say。”
they came out and went back on to the path where the trees might possibly make them less conspicuous。 〃not that its any good really；〃 said eustace； 〃trying to hide from people you cant see。 they may be all round us。”
〃now； drinian；〃 said caspian。 〃how would it be if we gave up the boat for lost； went down to another part of the bay； and signalled to the dawn treader to stand in and take us aboard？”
〃not depth for her； sire；〃 said drinian。
〃we could swim；〃 said lucy。
〃your majesties all；〃 said reepicheep； 〃hear me。 it is folly to think of avoiding an invisible enemy by any amount of creeping and skulking。 if these creatures mean to bring us to battle； be sure they will succeed。 and whatever es of it id sooner meet them face to face than be caught by the tail。”
〃i really think reep is in the right this time；〃 said edmund。
〃surely；〃 said lucy； 〃if rhince and the others on the dawn treader see us fighting on the shore theyll be able to do something。”
〃but they wont see us fighting if they cant see any enemy；〃 said eustace miserably。
〃theyll think were just swinging our swords in the air for fun。”
there was an unfortable pause。
〃well；〃 said caspian at last； 〃lets get on with it。 we must go and face them。 shake hands all round … arrow on the string； lucy … swords out； everyone else … and now for it。 perhaps theyll parley。”
it was strange to see the lawns and the great trees looking so peaceful as they marched back to the beach。 and when they arrived there； and saw the boat lying where they had left her； and the smooth sand with no one to be seen on it； more than one doubted whether lucy had not merely imagined all she had told them。 but before they reached the sand； a voice spoke out of the air。
〃no further； masters； no further now；〃 it said。 〃weve got to talk with you first。 theres fifty of us and more here with weapons in our fists。”
〃hear him； hear him；〃 came the chorus。 〃thats our chief。 you can depend on what he says。 hes telling you the truth； he is。”
〃i do not see these fifty warriors；〃 observed reepicheep。
〃thats right； thats right；〃 said the chief voice。 〃you dont see us。 and why not？
because were invisible。”
〃keep it up； chief； keep it up；〃 said the other voices。 〃youre talking like a book。 they couldnt ask for a better answer than that。”
〃be quiet； reep；〃 said caspian； and then added in a louder voice； 〃you invisible people； what do you want with us？ and what have we done to earn your enmity？”
〃we want something that little girl can do for us；〃 said the chief voice。 （the others explained that this was just what they would have said themselves。）
〃little girl！〃 said reepicheep。 〃the lady is a queen。”
〃we dont know about queens；〃 said the chief voice。
（〃no more we do； no more we do；〃 chimed in the others。） 〃but we want something she can do。”
〃what is it？〃 said lucy。
〃and if it is anything against her majestys honour or safety；〃 added reepicheep； 〃you will wonder to see how many we can kill before we die。”
〃well；〃 said the chief voice。 〃its a long story。 suppose we all sit down？〃 ； the proposal was warmly approved by the other voices but the narnians remained standing。
〃well；〃 said the chief voice。 〃its like this。 this island has been the property of a great magician time out of mind。 and we all are … or perhaps in a manner of speaking； i might say； we were … his servants。 well； to cut a long story short； this magician that i was speaking about； he told us to do something we didnt like。 and why not？ because we didnt want to。 well； then； this same magician he fell into a great rage； for i ought to tell you he owned the island and he wasnt used to being crossed。 he was terribly downright； you know。 but let me see； where am i？ oh yes； this magician then； he goes upstairs （for you must know he kept all his magic things up there and we all lived down b