e your lordship。”
〃how much do you want for that boy？〃 asked the other； pointing to caspian。
〃ah；〃 said pug； 〃i knew your lordship would pick on the best。 no deceiving your lordship with anything second rate。 that boy； now； ive taken a fancy to him myself。 got kind of fond of him； i have。 im that tender…hearted i didnt ever ought to have taken up this job。 still； to a customer like your lordship…”
〃tell me your price； carrion；〃 said the lord sternly。 〃do you think i want to listen to the rigmarole of your filthy trade？”
〃three hundred crescents； my lord to your honourable lordship； but to anyone else …”
〃ill give you a hundred and fifty。”
〃oh please； please；〃 broke in lucy。 〃dont separate us； whatever you do。 you dont know …〃 but then she stopped for she saw that caspian didnt even now want to be known。
〃a hundred and fifty； then；〃 said the lord。 〃as for you； little maiden； i am sorry i cannot buy you all。 unrope my boy； pug。 and look … treat these others well while they are in your hands or itll be the worse for you。”
〃well！〃 said pug。 〃now who ever heard of a gentleman in my way of business who treated his stock better than what i do？ well？ why； i treat em like my own childen。”
〃thats likely enough to be true；〃 said the other grimly。
the dreadful moment had now e。 caspian was untied and his new master said； 〃this way； lad；〃 and lucy burst into tears and edmund looked very blank。 but caspian looked over his shoulder and said； 〃cheer up。 im sure it will e all right in the end。 so long。”
〃now； missie；〃 said pug。 〃dont you start taking on and spoiling your looks for the market tomorrow。 you be a good girl and then you wont have nothing to cry about； see？”
then they were rowed out to the slave…ship and taken below into a long； rather dark place； none too clean； where they found many other unfortunate prisoners； for pug was of course a pirate and had just returned from cruising among the islands and capturing what he could。 the children didnt meet anyone whom they knew； the prisoners were mostly galmians and terebinthians。 and there they sat in the straw and wondered what was happening to caspian and tried to stop eustace talking as if everyone except himself was to blame。
meanwhile caspian was having a much more interesting time。 the man who had bought him led him down a little lane between two of the village houses and so out into an open place behind the village。 then he turned and faced him。
〃you neednt be afraid of me； boy；〃 he said。 〃ill treat you well。 i bought you for your face。 you reminded me of someone。〃 〃may i ask of whom； my lord？〃 said caspian。
〃you remind me of my master； king caspian of narnia。”
then caspian decided to risk everything on one stroke。
〃my lord；〃 he said； 〃i am your master。 i am caspian king of narnia。”
〃you make very free；〃 said the other。 〃how shall i know this is true？”
〃firstly by my face；〃 said caspian。 〃secondly because i know within six guesses who you are。 you are one of those seven lords of narnia whom my uncle miraz sent to sea and whom i have e out to look for … argoz； bern； octesian； restimar； mavramorn； or … or … i have forgotten the others。 and finally； if your lordship will give me a sword i will prove on any mans body in clean battle that i am caspian the son of caspian； lawful king of narnia； lord of cair paravel； and emperor of the lone islands。”
〃by heaven；〃 exclaimed the man； 〃it is his fathers very voice and trick of speech。 my liege … your majesty …〃 and there in the field he knelt and kissed the kings hand。
〃the moneys your lordship disbursed for our person will be made good from our own treasury；〃 said caspian。
〃theyre not in pugs purse yet； sire；〃 said the lord bern； for he it was。 〃and never will be； i trust。 i have moved his sufficiency the governor a hundred times to crush this vile traffic in mans flesh。”
〃my lord bern；〃 said caspian； 〃we must talk of the state of these islands。 but first what is your lordships own story？”
〃short enough； sire；〃 said bern。 〃i came thus far with my six fellows； loved a girl of the islands； and felt i had had enough of the sea。 and there was no purpose in returning to narnia while your majestys uncle held the reins。 so i married and have lived here ever since。”
〃and what is this governor； this gumpas； like？ does he still acknowledge the king of narnia for his lord？”
〃in words； yes。 all is done in the kings name。 but he would not be best pleased to find a real； live king of narnia ing in upon him。 and if your majesty came before him alone and unarmed … well he would not deny his allegiance； but he would pretend to disbelieve you。 your graces life would be in danger。 what following has your majesty in these waters？”
〃there is my ship just rounding the point；〃 said caspian。 〃we are about thirty swords if it came to fighting。 shall we not have my ship in and fall upon pug and free my friends whom he holds captive？”
〃not by my counsel；〃 said bern。 〃as soon as there was a fight two or three ships would put out from narrowhaven to rescue pug。 your majesty must work by a show of more power than you really have； and by the terror of the kings name。 it must not e to plain battle。 gumpas is a chicken…hearted man and can be over…awed。”
after a little more conversation caspian and bern walked down to the coast a little west of the village and there caspian winded his horn。 （this was not the great magic horn of narnia； queen susans horn： he had left that at home for his regent trumpkin to use if any great need fell upon the land in the kings absence。） drinian； who was on the look…out for a signal； recognized the royal horn at once and the dawn treader began standing in to shore。 then the boat put off again and in a few moments caspian and the lord bern were on deck explaining the situation to drinian。 he； just like caspian； wanted to lay the dawn treader alongside the slave…ship at once and board her； but bern made the same objection。
〃steer straight down this channel； captain；〃 said bern； 〃and then round to avra where my own estates are。 but first run up the kings banner； hang out all the shields； and send as many men to the fighting top as you can。 and about five bowshots hence； when you get open sea on your port bow； run up a few signals。”
〃signals？ to whom？〃 said drinian。
〃why； to all the other ships we havent got but which it might be well that gumpas thinks we have。”
〃oh； i see；〃 said drinian rubbing his hands。 〃and theyll read our signals。 what shall i say？ whole fleet round the south of avra and assemble at …？”
〃bernstead；〃 said the lord bern。 〃thatll do excellently。 their whole journey … if there were any ships what caspian did there would be out of sight from narrowhaven。”
caspian was sorry for the others languishing in the hold of pugs slave… ship； but he could not help finding the rest of that day enjoyable。 late in the afternoon （for they had to do all by oar）； having turned to starboard round the northeast end of doorn and port again
round the point of avra； they entered into a good harbour on avras southern shore where berns pleasant lands sloped down to the waters edge。 berns people； many of whom they saw working in the fields； were all freemen and it was a happy and prosperous fief。 here they all went ashore and were royally feasted in a low； pillared house overlooking the bay。 bern and his gracious wife and merry daughters made them good cheer。 but after dark bern sent a messenger over by boat to doorn to order some preparations （he did not say exactly what） for the following day。
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CHAPTER FOUR
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what caspian did there nert morning the lord bern called his guests early； and after breakfast he asked caspian to order every man he had into full armour。 〃and above all；〃 he added； 〃let everything be as trim and scoured as if it were the morning of the first battle in a great war between noble kings with all the world looking on。〃 this was done； and then in three boatloads caspian and his people； and bern with a few of his； put out for narrowhaven。 the kings flag flew in the stern of his boat and his trumpeter was with him。
when they reached the jetty at narrowhaven； caspian found a considerable crowd assembled to meet them。 〃this is what i sent word about last night；〃 said bern。 〃they are all friends of mine and honest people。〃 and as soon as caspian stepped ashore the crowd broke out into hurrahs and shouts of； 〃narnia！ narnia！ long live the king。〃 at the same moment … and this was also due to berns messengers … bells began ringing from many parts of the town。 then caspian caused his banner to be advanced and his trumpet to be blown and every man drew his sword and set his face into a joyful sternness； and they marched up the street so that the street shook； and their armour shone （for it was a sunny morning） so that one could hardly look at it steadily。
at first the only people who cheered were those who had been warned by berns messenger and knew what was happening and wanted it to happen。 but then all the children joined in because they liked a procession and had seen very few。 and then all the schoolboys jo